Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-DaDe County and Nu Deco Ensemble present
Nu Deco Ensemble
featuring Masego
Friday, December 10, 2021
Knight Concert Hall
Jacomo Bairos | Sam Hyken
Co-founders and artistic directors
Program
"Ray Charles Symphonic Suite" by Hyken/Lebos/ Lopez/Matthews
"Sacred Earth" by Chris Rogerson
J’Nai Bridges, mezzo-soprano
The performance of Sacred Earth is presented in partnership with YoungArts.
"Nu Nutcracker" by Hyken/Lebos/Lopez/Matthews
INTERMISSION (20 minutes)
Special collaboration with Masego.
Nu Deco Ensemble Personnel
Conductor
Jacomo Bairos
The Ortega Family Foundation
Flute/Piccolo
Joseph Monticello
Oboe/English Horn
Adele-Marie Buis
*Kendra Hawley
Laura & Kenneth Wernick Chair
Clarinet
Anna Brumbaugh
Seth Weinberger & Barbara Goodman Chair
Bass Clarinet
Zach Manzi
Bassoon
Gabriel Beavers
Jan Melk Chair
Horn
Juan Berrios
Trumpet
Kevin Lyons
Scott Nadelson
Trombone
Gabriel Colby
Ronald Schrager & Wendy Hart Chair
Bass Trombone
Hakeem Bilal
Percussion
Andrew Riley
Evan Saddler
Lucas Sanchez
Juanmanuel Lopez
Murph Aucamp
Brian Lange
Jon Curry
*Brian Potts
Daniel Spear Chair
*Matt Nichols
Saul & Mary Sanders Chair
Electric Bass
Andrés Ferret
Leslie Miller Saiontz Chair
Electric Guitar
Aaron Lebos
Stephanie Ansin & Spencer Stewart Chair
Keyboard/Piano
Daniel Strange
Thomas Steigerwald
Sean Mason
*Jason Matthews
Craig & Lauren Nossel
Harp
Lauren Sherman
Violin I
Audrey Wright, Concertmaster
Jill Braufman & Daniel Nir Chair
Michelle Skinner
Alexandra Villoch & Cesar Mendoza Chair
Chelsea Sharpe
Hyunjee Chung
Violin 2
Dina Kostic, Principal
Danya Lindenfeld Chair
Nathan Lowry
Karen Lord-Powell
Danya Lindenfeld Chair
Abby Young
Brad Herman & Jeanette Sian Chair
Viola
Yael Kleinman Hyken, Principal
Jacob & Maida Bornstein Memorial Chair
Chauncey Patterson
Richard Horvitz & Erica Hartman-Horvitz
Michael Klotz
Kristin Baird
Violoncello
Aaron Merritt, Principal
Mia Barcia-Colombo
Saul and Mary Sanders Chair
Brent Charran
Double Bass
Jeff Adkins, Principal
Santiago Olaguibel
*Not performing on this series.
NU DECO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Deborah A. Slott, Board Chair
Jacomo Bairos
Daniel Baltzegar
Samuel Baum
Michael D. Berman
Emily Borababy
Carly Grimm
Leticia Hernandez
Sam Hyken
Natalia Martinez-Kalinina
Adam Schwartzbaum
Alexander Tecle
NU DECO STAFF
CEO | Composer | Arranger
Sam Hyken
Stephanie Ansin & Spencer Stewart Chair
CFO
Daniel Baltzegar
Director of External Relations
Derek Wallace
Director of Operations & Production
Kristina Villaverde
Manager, Education & Outreach
Ross Kaufman
Manager
Andrew Leib // Red Light Management
Personnel Manager and Librarian
Abby Young
Company Interns
Amaya Ayuso, Production
Emily Finke, External Relations
Zoe Hyman, Production
PRODUCTION TEAM
The Guild Live LLC, Sound Design
Charlton Williams
Cody Engstrom
Russell Williams
Spencer Colucy
Sugarshack Media, Video
Eddie Kopp
Arian Antonucci
Nico Giraldo
Joel Valenzuela
Lighting Designer
Samuel Deshauteurs
Production Assistant
Quiana Major
Who’s Who
J’Nai Bridges
American mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, known for her “plush-voiced mezzo-soprano” (The New York Times), and “calmly commanding stage presence” (The New Yorker) has been heralded as “a rising star” (Los Angeles Times), gracing the world’s top opera and concert stages.
Bridges’ 2021-2022 season is highlighted by her participation in numerous world premiere engagements, and as a guest artist at The Kennedy Center’s 50th Anniversary Season. The first Kennedy Center performance is with the all Black and Latinx Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, followed by Written in Stone, a Washington National Opera program of new music including the world premiere of a piece written for her by Carlos Simon. Bridges’ time in Washington, D.C., continues as a soloist with The National Philharmonic in the world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s A Knee on the Neck, and Mozart’s Requiem. She continues her collaboration with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, giving a recital as part of their Power to the People! festival. She also appears with Amarillo Symphony as a guest artist in a world premiere piece by Chris Rogerson titled Sacred Earth, sing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 for Houston Symphony’s season finale performance, and will give a solo recital at the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, NJ. Operatic engagements include the title role in Carmen with Palm Beach Opera, and Jocasta in Oedipus Rex with the San Francisco Symphony.
In the midst of the worldwide pandemic, she emerged as a leading figure in classical music’s shift toward conversations of inclusion and racial justice in the performing arts. Bridges led a highly successful panel on race and inequality in opera with the Los Angeles Opera that drew international acclaim for being a “conversation of striking scope and candor” (The New York Times). In early 2021, Bridges was featured in the Converse shoe brand’s All Stars Campaign for its Breaking Down Barriers collection. Bridges also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel for two episodes of the digital SOUND/STAGE series, and as part of the Global Citizen movement’s Global Goal campaign, a program that also included Coldplay, Shakira, Usher and others. The pandemic also forced the cancellation of Bridges’ numerous debuts during the 2020-2021 season, including the title role of Carmen at The Metropolitan Opera and Canadian Opera Company. Bridges’ 2019-2020 season included her highly acclaimed debut at The Metropolitan Opera as Nefertiti in a sold-out run of Philip Glass’ opera Akhnaten, as well as a house and role debut with Washington National Opera as Dalila in Samson et Dalila.
Other recent highlights include the 2021 Grammy Award-winning recording of Richard Danielpour’s oratorio The Passion of Yeshua with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, her sold-out Carnegie Hall Recital debut, her role debut of Kasturbai in Satyagraha at LA Opera and her debuts at Dutch National Opera and the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. Bridges also created the role of Josefa Segovia in the world premiere of John Adams’ Girls of the Golden West at San Francisco Opera and performed in the world premiere of Bel Canto at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, an opera by Jimmy Lopez based on the novel by Ann Patchett.
Bridges is a recipient of the prestigious 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Award, a 2016 Richard Tucker Career Grant, first-prize winner at the 2016 Francisco Viñas International Competition, first-prize winner at the 2015 Gerda Lissner Competition, a recipient of the 2013 Sullivan Foundation Award, a 2012 Marian Anderson award winner, the recipient of the 2011 Sara Tucker Study Grant, the recipient of the 2009 Richard F. Gold Grant from The Shoshana Foundation and the winner of the 2008 Leontyne Price Foundation Competition. Bridges completed a three-year residency with the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, represented the United States at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and was a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York.
A native of Tacoma, Washington, she earned her Master of Music degree from Curtis Institute of Music, and her Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance from the Manhattan School of Music.
Masego
For Masego, legacy is the name of the game. Ask the self-taught singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and multi-instrumentalist about what he wants out of his career, and the answer is simple: to create experiences that people will remember and music that makes him feel good.
As part of his self-described “TrapHouseJazz” genre, Masego brings playfulness, humor and svelte sensitivities to his music while adding instruments, like his trusty saxophone, into places where they don’t belong. From 2016’s energetic Pink Polo EP to his silky 2018 debut album, Lady Lady, the Jamaica-born, Virginia-raised artist has garnered international acclaim for creating soundscapes that veer from the expected. Lady Lady, featuring his and FKJ’s platinum-certified hit “Tadow,” landed on several Billboard charts, including No. 4 on Top New Artist Albums Consumption, No. 13 on R&B Album Sales, No. 22 on Heatseekers Albums and No. 40 on R&B/Hip Hop Album Sales charts.
Outside his own music, he’s collaborated with peers such as Alex Isley, Joyce Wrice, ELHAE, KAMAUU, Sinead Harnett, SiR, Kehlani and, most recently, J.I.D. and Rapsody for the official Judas and the Black Messiah soundtrack. “I know I'm great at collecting the energy in the room and making a great song,” he says. “The art of making a song — that's the legacy.”
His most recent project, Studying Abroad, is another example. The 2020 EP, inspired by old travel memories and the life moments they were tied to, brought a slice of wanderlust to fans during a time when touring was off the table with standouts such as the D’Mile-produced “Bye Felicia,” “Silver Tongue Devil” with Shenseea and “Mystery Lady” with Don Toliver, the last of which racked up over 37 million streams on Spotify.
The project signals a moment of personal growth and widening of horizons, both within and outside music. As Masego continues to work on music for himself and others, he’s laying the foundation to be more than just an entertainer. Beyond musicianship, he’s also grown into a mentor, a connector, a businessman and soon, a visual storyteller. Inspired by the work of Japanese animator, director and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki, Masego is working on an animation project that fuses his love for art, music and storytelling with his desire to mentor illustrators, musicians and writers looking to elevate their craft.
“I'm just trying to level myself up where if somebody said, ‘You're the GOAT’ or ‘You're a legend,’ I want to believe it,” he says. “I want to keep creating and affecting culture in such a way that when we look back at it, it's like, OK, yeah, this was phenomenal.”
Nu Deco Ensemble
Since its inception in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble has exploded onto Miami’s eclectic musical scene, captivating audiences, holistically engaging with its community and fusing innovative, genre-bending orchestral performances and collaborations with the highest levels of musical artistry. Nu Deco is reimagining a fresh vision of what an orchestra can achieve in the 21st century. Created by Jacomo Bairos and Sam Hyken, Nu Deco Ensemble is a flexible and innovative hybrid orchestra that celebrates living composers, reimagines all genres of music and collaborates with a wide range of diverse musical guests, composers, choreographers, dancers and mixed media artists.
Recent highlights include exclusive collaborations with Larkin Poe, PJ Morton, Macy Gray, Ben Folds, Anthony Hamilton, Jacob Collier, Kimbra, Kishi Bashi, Time for Three, Cory Henry, Bilal, Luke James and many other award-winning composers and crossover artists. The New York Times has hailed Nu Deco Ensemble as a “Chamber orchestra for the 21st century,” Billboard has announced them as “sonically spellbinding” and Saratoga Living described them as “fiery, captivating and refreshingly original." In October 2019, Nu Deco Ensemble released its first album to include genre-bending collaborations, reimaginings of artists such as Outkast and Daft Punk, and new music by some of today’s most exciting living composers.
Donors
Multiyear
$100,000 and above
Leslie Miller Saiontz
The Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation
Bruce & Ellen Taub
$50,000 to $99,999
Jane Schoinger Marcus
Deborah Slott & Ken Rivkin
$10,000 to $49,999
Alexandra Villoch & Cesar Mendoza
Danielle Villoch
Annual Gift
$100,000 and above
The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation
The Heineman Foundation
Miami-Dade Department of County Cultural Affairs
$50,000-$99,999
Richard & Bonnie Hyken
$25,000-$49,999
Stephanie Ansin & Spencer Stewart
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Albert & Jane Nahmad Family Foundation
Peacock Foundation, Inc.
The Ortega Family Foundation
$10,000-$24,999
Bank of America Foundation
Daniel & Katherine Baltzegar
Jill Braufman & Daniel Nir
The City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Affairs Council
The Cowles Charitable Trust
Jeffrey Davis & Michael T. Miller
Fiduciary Trust International
Funding Arts Network
Danya Lindenfeld
Jan Melk
National Endowment for the Arts
Mary & Saul Sanders
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
Laura & Kenneth Wernick
$5,000-$9,999
Jacomo Rafael Bairos
Michael & Melinda Berman
State of Florida Cultural Affairs
Betty & Joe Fleming
Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation
Tom & Suzanne Gibson
Erica Hartman-Horvitz & Richard Horvitz
Brad Herman & Jeanette Sian
Linda Kamm
Lauren & Craig Nossel
Mark & Jennifer Rockwood
The Ronald Schrager & Wendy Hart Charitable Foundation
Daniel Spear
Ricardo & Tatiana Silva
Seth Weinberger & Barbara Goodman
Jason Wiesenfeld & Tamara Galinsky
$2,500-$4,999
Dr. Benjamin Abo
Ana M. Barton
Lisa & Bob Better
Henry Blinder & Ruth Remington
Emily Borababy
Carolina & Christian Crews
Citizens Interested in Arts
Patti Elias
Carol & Robin Faber
Seth & Liebe Gadinsky
Marina Ganopolsky
Rafael Gosalbez
Dr. Jeremy & Allison Green
Mark & Debi Greenberg
Carly Grimm
Russ Herman & Barbara Schuman
Leticia Hernandez
Mark Henderson & Bruce Wolfe
Ana & Neisen Kasdin
Jacqueline Lalonde
Carter & Laura McDowell
Carolina & Manuel Menendez
Daniel & Amanda Meneses
Noel & Terry Neelands
Michael & Shakira Parks
Jeff & Marci Pearl
James & Catherine Redding
Team Ressler
Vivian & Gaby Roiz-Vilchez
Maria del Mar Segura
Adam Schwartzbaum
Marc & Noa Shinderman
Clara & Juan Toro
Randi & Warren R. Trazenfeld
Teresa Galang-Viñas & Joaquin Viñas
H. Jordan Weitz & Robin Weitz
Jessie Wolfson
Randi Wolfson & Chris Adamo
Brandon & Kara Yarckin
David & Linda Young
$500-$2,499
Marie Elena Angulo
Regina Baraban
Elaine Berkowitz
Jorge & Glory Diaz de Villegas
Joan De Pontet
Erick E. Elizondo
Paula & Mickey Finkle
Alaina Fotiu-Wojtowicz
Richard French & Jacqueline Greenberg
Susan L. Gordon
Mark Gottfried
Marlene Green
Cathy Hassine
Jackie Hassine
Maggie Hernandez
Rita Holloway
Florencia Jimenez-Marcos in honor of Nu Deco NXT
Noelle Kalin
Madeleine Kreitman
Daniel Lewis & Valerie Dillon
Suzanne Lord
Jeremy & Lauren Mysers
The Moskowitz Law Firm
Les Pantin
Andrew & Adriane Vega Pompa
Luis Ramirez & Kimberly Thompson
Victoria Rogers
Andrey Rossin
David & Sydney Schaecter
Lawrence Silver
Dale & Diane Wallace
This concert was made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners
Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.