The Bourse de Commerce presents a concert by American composer and performer Meredith Monk, recognized as one of the most singular and influential artists of our time. In the Rotunda, she presents an intimate concert accompanied by Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin, members of her Vocal Ensemble founded in 1978. This concert bears witness to six decades of innovation and vocal virtuosity, exploring the infinite possibilities of the human voice through the artist hailed as a “magician of the voice.”
Meredith Monk: voice and keyboard
Katie Geissinger: voice
Allison Sniffin: voice, violin, and keyboard
Program
- Wa-lie-oh, from Songs from the Hill (1975-1976)
- Click Song #1, from Light Songs (1988)
- Hips Dance, from Volcano Songs: Duets (1993)
- Gotham Lullaby (1975)
- Choosing Companions, from ATLAS: an opera in three parts (1991)
- Selections from Cellular Songs (2018)
- Scared Song (1986)
- Prayer I, from The Politics of Quiet (1996)
- Simple Sorrow (2020)
- Panda Chant I, from The Games (1984)
- Memory Song, from The Games (1984)
- masks, from mercy (2001)
- Happy Woman, from Cellular Songs (2018)
Meredith Monk is a composer, singer, and creator of new opera, music-theater works, films and installations. Recognized as one of the most unique and influential artists of our time, she is a pioneer in what is now called “extended vocal technique” and “interdisciplinary performance”. Her groundbreaking exploration of the voice as an instrument, as an eloquent language in and of itself, expands the boundaries of musical composition, creating landscapes of sound that unearth feelings, energies, and memories for which there are no words. Celebrated internationally, her work has been presented at major venues throughout the world.
Ms. Monk has recorded with the ECM New Series label since 1981 and selected scores of her work are available through Boosey & Hawkes. In addition to numerous vocal pieces, music-theater works and operas, she has created vital new repertoire for orchestra, chamber ensembles and solo instruments. Her music has also been featured in films by Terrence Malick, Jean-Luc Godard, David Byrne and the Coen Brothers. She is also the subject of two books of interviews: Conversations with Meredith Monk, by arts critic and Performing Arts Journal editor Bonnie Marranca, and Une voix mystique, by French author Jean-Louis Tallon. Recently Monk celebrated her 60th Performance Season with a series of concerts, residencies and special events centered in New York City, including the North American premiere of Indra’s Net, her third work in a trilogy exploring our interdependent relationship with nature. In October 2025 she received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Music at the Venice Biennale.
