Composed by Ned Rothenberg, Beyond C is a concerto for improvising woodwind soloist—Ned Rothenberg —and an ensemble of varied instruments—Contemporaneous.
Inspired by seminal minimalist composer Terry Riley’s landmark composition In C (1964) which first introduced the musical style now known as Minimalism to a mainstream audience, Rothenberg’s Beyond C expands the harmonic, timbral, and rhythmic world of that work. It retains the modular structure of Riley’s original piece, but the progression through the work is formed by the conductor who, in partnership with the soloist, shapes each performance in a unique way.
Rothenberg’s music has been presented at hundreds of concerts throughout North and South America, Europe, and Japan, while his unique approach to woodwind performance – including techniques like manipulation of multiphonics, circular breathing, and overtone control – have led him to perform with everyone from John Zorn, Marc Ribot, Tony Buck, Marty Ehrlich and Bobby Previte amongst others.
