Citypieces

“No event has quite captured the prevailing ideology of classical music in America like the premiere of Rob Kapilow’s ‘Citypiece’ last night at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall ... The piece itself was offered as a musical monument, a collective act of music-making and listening intended to bring the city together.”
— Washington Post (on “D.C. Monuments”)

Rob Kapilow’s Citypieces celebrate American life – its history, peoples and places, diversity and common ground – revealed through the unifying process of collaborative compositions. Citypieces are created through explorations, conversations and town hall meetings with community groups, organizations and schools. Citypiece audiences across America discover music that is dynamic, heartfelt, accessible and entertaining.

Golden Gate Opus (Commissioned by The Marin Symphony to celebrate the Bridge’s 75th anniversary; premiered May 2012)
Summer Sun, Winter Moon (Lewis & Clark) (2004)
’03: This New Immense, Unbounded World (Louisiana Purchase) (2003)
Union Station (150th anniversary of Kansas City) (2000)
Monuments at the Millennium (D.C. monuments) (2000)
Shuttlecocks (Kansas City sculptures) (1996)

In Spring 2011, Rob Kapilow was commissioned by The Marin Symphony to compose Golden Gate Opus, a piece for orchestra, chorus and recorded natural sound to celebrate the Bridge’s 75th anniversary next year. To capture the authentic sounds of the bridge in this new piece, The Marin Symphony and Rob Kapilow teamed up to gather input from locals, visiting the surrounding communities and schools, and asking the question “what does the bridge sound like to you?”. After an overwhelming response, Rob hopes that the composition will capture the sounds, history and legacy of the iconic landmark. The piece premiered in May 2012, when it was played from both sides of the bridge.

From www.lplpo.com messageboards (‘03 Citypiece):

“The performance of Rob Kapilow and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Sunday afternoon was awe-inspiring. Think of any superlative applicable to the arts, and it would fit.”
“I managed to catch the broadcast of your piece, and it was every bit as wonderful as I remembered it from the Baton Rouge premiere. All of your commentary from the concert...was worth the price of admission by itself! ... I hope this isn’t the last we hear of this wonderful work.”
“What a memorable trip! Thanks for your positive diplomacy, energy, teaching talent, and your ever-present creative problem solving ability! Making history today is such a phenomenal experience!”
“I love that you are offering a new perspective on classical music. Thank you for sharing music with the novices of the world. You’ve inspired me not only to continuing to improve my voice, but not be afraid of music. All from one little radio show!”
“Thank you for all you are doing for the world of music and for the music of the world.”

Rob Kapilow's Citypieces

Rob Kapilow's Citypieces Compositions

Golden Gate Opus

Summer Sun, Winter Moon

What Audiences Are Saying About Citypieces

From www.lplpo.com messageboards (‘03 Citypiece):