Newspeak is an eight-piece amplified ensemble working under the artistic direction of composer David T. Little. Ironically named after George Orwell’s thought-limiting language in 1984, Newspeak reclaims and redefines the very notion of political music and its place in our modern world. Half rock band (drums, guitar, synth, voice), and half classical new music ensemble (violin, cello, percussion, clarinet), Newspeak ignores the boundaries between classical and rock traditions. They have shared bills with such diverse groups as The Fiery Furnaces, Pit Er Pat, Electric Kompany, STATS, Time of Orchids, The Motion Sick, Massey, and NOW Ensemble.
Newspeak is the only group in New York dedicated to presenting socially engaged music. It is utterly committed to the music of living composers; to commissioning, work shopping, developing and performing new works, and to encouraging composers to find their own voice in engaging with social issues. Since 2004, they have commissioned more than twenty works, each engaging differently with the problem of the political in music, and primarily from American composers. For more information, please see: http://www.newspeakmusic.org
Newspeak performs "sweet light crude" at Make Music New York
Music written for us:
2004-2005
David T. Little - Electric Proletariat
2005-2006
Missy Mazzoli - In Spite of All This
Toby Driver - Subject Can't Wake Up On Film
Oscar Bettison - B & E (with aggravated assault)
2006-2007
John Supko - Songs of a Landloper
Samson Young - Efflorescentric Aftermath
David T. Little - sweet light crude
Stefan Weisman - I Would Prefer Not To
Scott Smallwood - given to earth in dark blood
Caleb Burhans - By Way of Force
Judd Greenstein - What They Don't Like (for Chuck D)
2007-2008
Ted Hearne - My Catalonia
Michael Early - Flood
Anne Hege - Incantation for the King of Soul
Sarah Kirkland Snider - This Is What You're Like
Andrea Mazzariello - The New Austerity
Mark Dancigers - American Sky
Lisa Coons - Accessorizing the Soft Machine
Paul Lansky - Minor Alterations
2008-2009
David T. Little - irrepressible
Dmitri Tymoczko - Heavy Metal is the Sound of War
Caleb Burhans - New Work
Pat Muchmore - New Work
A.J. McAffrey - New Work
Other music we play:
Stefan Weisman - From Frankenstein
Hanns Eisler - Songs
David T. Little - Soldier Songs
Keeril Makan - Target
Frederic Rzewski - Coming Together
Frederic Rzewski - To The Earth
Frederic Rzewski - The Price of Oil, Part II
Eve Beglarian - Until It Blazes
Wolf Edwards - My Lai 1968
Roshanne Etezady - Unsafe (at any speed)
Black Sabbath - War Pigs
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