October 1, 8 & 22, 2015

Cover charge: $30-40
Premiums: $65

Food & Beverage Minimum $25

Cancelled

“To hear composers take my work and take it seriously… it’s a thrill.” – Stephen Sondheim, Liaisons onstage interview, April 21, 2012

Now is your chance to hear Stephen Sondheim’s music as you have never heard it before. Conceived by celebrated concert pianist Anthony de Mare, the critically acclaimed Liaisons has brought together 36 of the world’s foremost contemporary composers from across the musical spectrum to re-imagine Sondheim’s songs as sophisticated solo piano pieces. From Steve Reich and Wynton Marsalis to Jason Robert Brown and Duncan Sheik, the scope of composers could not be more diverse and the results could not be more delightful. The entire collection will be released on ECM Records in September 2015, and de Mare’s three-concert performance at 54 Below will be the only time the entire repertoire will be performed live. As the first tribute to focus on Sondheim’s music as a standalone entity, Liaisons shows just how formidable his influence has been on 20th and 21st Century music.

These beautifully arranged interpretations of Sondheim’s classic works will be performed by Mr. de Mare himself. Anthony de Mare has been hailed for “reinventing the recital format,” infusing it with theatricality, virtuosity, and a surprising mix of genres and styles. He debuted under the auspices Young Concert Artists and gave his Carnegie Hall debut at Zankel Hall. Known as a champion of contemporary music, he has performed with Bang on a Can, Meredith Monk, and many others, and his solo programs have been featured at NYC venues ranging from Merkin Hall and Symphony Space to The Flea Theater, MoMA, The Rubin Museum and Alliance Française. He has also trained a whole generation of pianists through his teaching work at Manhattan School of Music, NYU and residencies across the U.S.