The Knights

Photo: Richard Frank

The New York-based ensemble The Knights seeks to expand the idea of what an orchestra can be through creative programming and a unique atmosphere of camaraderie that treats the orchestra as an ensemble capable of creating the intimacy and immediacy of a much smaller group. Each individual voice in the group helps to shape, refine, enrich, and eventually unify the overall sound and feeling of the ensemble. The sense of openness, warmth and trust that is present in the rehearsals translates into an amazing amount of freedom, spontaneity and joy in performance.Their extensive repertoire takes in masterworks from the past and the present, often in collaboration with artists such as sopranos Dawn Upshaw and Susan Narucki, flutist Paula Robison, singer-songwriter (and Knights violinist) Christina Courtin, Iranian ney (Persian bamboo flute) virtuoso Siamak Jahangiri and cellist Jan Vogler.The Knights' many accomplishments include performances at the Dresden Musikfestspiele, repeat performances at the National Gallery in Dublin, and international tours with Osvaldo Golijov and his 'Passion According to St. Mark.' The Knights recently recorded two albums for SONY Classical. The first project was with internationally recognized cellist Jan Vogler as soloist in the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 in a live sound recording at New York's cutting-edge new concert venue Le Poisson Rouge, which also included arrangements of Shostakovich waltzes and a Jimi Hendrix tune. Their second album focuses on a "New World" theme, featuring works by Copland, Dvorak, Ives, Gabriela Lena Frank and Osvaldo Golijov.