The November edition of our Pleiades Series features a duo of drummer Lily Finnegan and cellist Katinka Klein followed by Chicago ensemble Akosuen. This show will also include a free improvisation jam session: open to all womxn and nonbinary musicians, movers and other artists (e-mail pleiades@elasticarts.org to join the jam.)
Artist Bios
Akosuen /aa-KŌZ-eh-win/ is a music and performance project by Billie Howard involving sounds that focus on breathing cycles, chronic pain, and mediation on both quiet and extremely loud sounds. Billie appears on her primary instruments: violin and piano, as well as with an ensemble including expanded strings, voices, organ, and percussion.
Akosuen recently released a trilogy of recordings for different instruments on SCRIPTS Records. “At Sea: five movements for violin” premiered in October, 2019 with a solo violin recital at Constellation in Chicago. “In Flux: for piano and drum” premiered in May, 2022. "With/draw: for strings and voices" is also included in the trilogy.
Akosuen scored the short film, Olion, which premiered at the 2017 Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival. Akosuen has also created sound installations for Goldfinch Gallery, GAG Gallery and A Memory Palace of Fear at Silent Funny in Chicago.
Chicago based drummer Lily Finnegan strives to push boundaries and not adhere to labels. She focuses on the experimental, honest, and collaborative aspects of performance, composition, and improvisation. Currently playing with the Ken Vandermark Quintet, the Lily Finnegan Trio, Shoulderbird, Sarah Clausen Trio and Booph. Collaborators and bands have included Kris Davis, Val Jeanty, Ken Vandermark, Dave Rempis, Katie Ernst, Jason Stein, Cristof Kurzmann, Katinka Kleijn, Lea Delaria, Sharel Cassity and Deodorant.
Hailed by The New York Times as “a player of formidable expressive gifts,” Dutch-born cellist Katinka Kleijn enjoys a genre-defying, interdisciplinary career. Classically trained, she cultivates an exploratory, interactive creative practice at the fertile intersection of improvisation, composition, and collaboration. Much of Kleijn’s work illuminates the cello’s anthropomorphic qualities, often by placing the instrument in thought-provoking new contexts. Kleijn is a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and International Contemporary Ensemble.
$15 - Tickets Available at the Door