Bowerbird: Postal Pieces

Bowerbird is excited to present “Postal Pieces,” a concert featuring the Arcana New Music Ensemble that draws inspiration from James Tenney’s unorthodox set of compositions. Tenney’s “Postal Pieces,” composed between 1954 and 1971, are a series of ten concise works each printed on a postcard. These pieces capture Tenney’s exploration of sound and form, focusing on minimalist structures, intonation, and what he called “Swell” forms—gradual crescendos and decrescendos that create a unique auditory experience. Conceived originally as musical “letters” to friends and collaborators, such as Pauline Oliveros and La Monte Young, these works reflect Tenney’s deep connections within the avant-garde music scene and his penchant for inviting listeners into meditative states of listening.

For this concert, the Arcana New Music Ensemble presents a new collection of postcard-sized works commissioned from nine Philadelphia-based composers, each inspired by the spirit of Tenney’s originals. The program features pieces by David Middleton, Andrea Clearfield,…