Talea Ensemble, renowned for its adventurous programming and contemporary music performances, the Talea Ensemble returns to Bohemian National Hall at Czech Center, 321 E. 73rd Street in New York City, for the first concert of their 2012-2013 season. The performance is on Friday, September 21, 2012 at 8:00 pm, and is free and open to the public. Reservations are suggested and can be requested by email at reservation@czechcenter.com.

The program features the US premiere of three works: James Dillon's New York Triptych, Pierluigi Billone’s Dike Wall and Ondrej Adamek’s Ca tourne ca bloque. This summer, Talea Ensemble performed the world premiere of New York Triptych and Dike Wall at the renowned Darmstadt International Music Institute in Germany.

“We are thrilled to kick off our sixth season at the Bohemian National Hall,” says Talea’s executive director Alex Lipowski. “It is a building steeped in history, and we love performing there.” Czech Center director Pavla Niklova adds, “The superb acoustics at Bohemian National Hall, serve the Talea Ensemble well. We are delighted that they’ll play the first US performance this intricate work by Czech national Ondrej Adamek, along with the two works that they premiered in Europe this summer.”

Just like the city in its title, James Dillon's New York Triptych is music of extreme contrasts, bursting with fits and starts, and rarely settling into a comfort zone. Dike Wall by Pierluigi Billone, is named for a rock formation in Mammoth Lakes, California, the tragic site where rock climber John Bachar fell to his death in 2009. Both works were composed this year, specifically for the unique talents of the members of the Talea Ensemble.

In his musical language the Czech composer Ondrej Adamek combines elements of contemporary classical music with transformed musical elements of distant cultures (from Bali and New Caledonia to Japan and Andalusia). Ca Tourne Ca Bloque (Turning Blocks), created in 2008, explores the inherent musicality of the spoken voice, using collected sound of French-speaking people in Japan.

Based in New York City, Talea Ensemble was formed in 2007 by the composer Anthony Cheung and the percussionist Alex Lipowski with the goal of promoting new, groundbreaking music through innovative programming. Talea achieves its mission by commissioning new works and programming those alongside established contemporary repertoire.

The Czech Center is a meeting place for Czech and local culture, a place where artists and professionals, Czech and non-Czech alike, can get to know each other and talk about their work, and produce new work together, when the opportunity presents itself. The Czech Center presents concerts at the Bohemian National hall that promotes Czech music and culture. Some highlights of their fall season are listed below.

The Bohemian National Hall in New York City (321 E. 73rd Street) was built in 1896 in neo-Renaissance palazzo style and was renovated in 2008. It has been designated a New York City landmark by Landmarks Preservation Commission. Czech composer Antonin Dvorak performed a concert in 1892 in New York City as a fundraiser for the building.

Before and after the concert, concert-goers may enjoy a drink in the atmospheric bar at Bohemian National Hall. Czech beer, Czech liquor and other spirits, and a small selection of snacks are for sale.

Talea Ensemble’s 2012-2013 season includes the following New York City concert highlights:

September 21, 2012
Bohemian National Hall presented by the Czech Center
US premiers by James Dillon, Pierluigi Billone, and Ondrej Adamek

December 14, 2012
DiMenna Center
World Premieres by Anthony Cheung, Christopher Trapani, George Lewis, Steve Lehman

February 4, 2013
Merkin Concert Hall
Music by Olga Neuwirth

April 20, 2013
Roulette
MATA Festival

May 16-17, 2013
Bohemian National Hall
US Premiere of Beat Furrer’s opera, FAMA

Highlights of fall Czech Center concerts at Bohemian National Hall

September 14, 2012
Moving Sounds 2012
Mise-en Ensemble

September 21, 2012
Talea Ensemble
US premiers by James Dillon, Pierluigi Billone, and Ondrej Adamek

November 7, 2012
"Beyond Cage"
Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Kotik, conductor
Works by Wolff, Niblock, and Cage

November 16,17,18
Opera Moderne
Viktor Ullmann: Der Kaiser von Atlantis