October 16, guitarist Grey McMurray led members of the Wordless Music Orchestra in a world premiere arrangement of Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield's 1973 progressive rock opus best known for its inclusion in the soundtrack to The Exorcist. The evening was presented in partnership with Arts Brookfield and WNYC's New Sounds Live and hosted by John Schaefer.
McMurray is a member of the ambient duo itsnotyouitsme and a regular collaborator with Alarm Will Sound and So Percussion as well as with the Wordless Music Orchestra. His arrangement uses an unreleased ending to the piece (performed with the assistance of "drunken" narrator John Schaefer) and supplements the original orchestration with electric violin and cello.
Wordless Music Orchestra is the house band of the Wordless Music Series and has performed with Jonny Greenwood, John Cale, Stars of the Lid and Sigur Ros's Jónsi Birgisson among many others. The musicians for this performance were culled from ensembles including Dirty Projectors, Dawn of Midi, Alarm Will Sound and ACME.
Musicians: Grey Mcmurray, electric guitar, vocal, arranger; Olga Bell, keyboard, vocal; Caleb Burhans, electric violin, Casio, vocal; Justin Carroll, piano, keyboard; Clarice Jenson, cello; Chris Morrissey, electric bass, acoustic guitar, vocal; Qasim Naqvi, drums, glockenspiel, tubular bells; Aaron Roche, acoustic and electric guitar, vocal; John Schaefer, Narrator
Engineers: Edward Haber (technical director and music mix), Noriko Okabe, Rick Kwan
