In July, Devin performed in Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams’ expansive 80-minute percussion piece Inuksuit under the direction of Doug Perkins. The performance included over 60 players and unfolded on the storied Caramoor estate in Katonah, NY— once home to Lucie Rosen, one of the 20th century’s most accomplished Theremin players and friend of Leon Theremin.
‘The title [Inuksuit] refers to a type of stone marker that the Inuit and other native peoples use to orient themselves in Arctic spaces. The arrangement of rhythmic layers in the score mimics the shape of these lonely sentinels, which sometimes resemble the monolithic shapes of Stonehenge. In a program note, the composer writes, “This work is haunted by the vision of the melting of the polar ice, the rising of the seas, and what may remain of humanity’s presence after the waters recede.” More practically, he advises that “rehearsal and performance may require topographic maps, GPS units, two-way radios, cellular telephones, backpacks, tents and camping gear, off-road vehicles and other such tools.”’ [From newyorker.com]
Read the New York Times review of Devin’s performance here:
And watch John Luther Adams discuss the piece below:
