The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music Series has announced its 2017-2018 season, and it's an impressive lineup. As in the past, the series promises experimental collaborative performances that transcend musical genre. Among the artists involved in this year's series is Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who is teaming up with TU Dance for three performances at the Palace Theatre (April 19-21, 2018) as part of this year's series.

The 2017-2018 season marks the sixth year for the unique series. Within this short time frame, the pioneering series has become known for championing risk-taking and experimentation and has gained a reputation for redefining for contemporary chamber music. Artists participating in the Liquid Music Series blend elements of classical chamber music with their own art, creating distinctive and innovative projects.

Along with musical innovation, the series also aims to provide experiences that audiences engage with on an emotional level. Several of the projects in this year's series focus on topics of identity, belonging, tradition, and community. Many of the projects this year also involve different artistic media, making these performances so much more than just a concert. The first performance of the season is a strong example of this.

Son Lux guitarist Rafiqu Bhatia has been working with both the video artist Hal Lovemelt and the Minneapolis-based visual artist Michael Cina on his Breaking English. The result is a captivating, multimedia experience that Bhatia explained in a press release as exploring "the continua between beauty and destruction, otherworldliness and intimate familiarity."

Justin Vernon's joint effort with TU Dance and choreographer Uri Sands is another example of a project that incorporates visual and audio performance. Attendees can listen to Vernon's new music as they watch the inventive troupe perform the choreography of Uri Sands on the Palace Theatre's newly renovated stage.

Brian Harnetty's Shawnee, Ohio presents a slice of life in a small Appalachian mining town that tackles topics such as energy, ecology, and personal history through the use of field recordings, sample archives, and live musicians. Harnetty's piece, along with Nathalie Joachim's Fanm d'Ayiti — illuminating women of Haitian song — will also be a part of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's No Fiction Festival. Inspiration for the festival comes from the ability music has to communicate the emotional heart of a story, with the focus of the festival being storytelling and the importance of hearing others' stories.

This year's series boasts five world premiere projects, one of them by the classically trained violist, singer, composer, and producer, Emily Wells. Her project, The World Is Too _____ For You, showcases new work inspired by hymns and featuring new orchestral arrangements by Michi Wiancko. Wells's project premiere also marks Liquid Music's first show in a new historic venue in Minneapolis, the Machine Shop.

Also new this year are three more presenting partners — On Being, Carleton College, and Macalester College — in addition to a continued partnership with the Walker Art Center. The Walker will be hosting several performances this year, including Patricia Kopatchinskaja performing 20th-century composer Luigi Nono's La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura and pianist Vijay Iyer collaborating with Teju Cole on Blind Spot.

Aria will host the Twin Cities debut of Anna Meredith, whose performance at SXSW earned a rave review from The Current's Jay Gabler. "The sheer virtuosity of Meredith's quirky orchestra," he wrote, "and her own delight in crossing compositional lines, would have been compelling enough even if she didn't also prove to be an infectiously charismatic bandleader, banging her head and conspicuously delighting in the joy of music-making."

Liquid Music 2017-18 season

For tickets, times, and additional details, watch liquidmusicseries.org.

Rafiq Bhatia: Breaking English (World Premiere / Liquid Music and Walker Art Center Commission)
With visual art by Michael Cina and Hal Lovemelt
Copresented with Walker Art Center
Sat., Oct. 21, 2017
The Walker's William and Nadine McGuire Theater, Minneapolis

Patricia Kopatchinskaja: Luigi Nono's La Lontananza Nostalgica Utopica Futura for Violin and Electronics
Copresented with Walker Art Center's Target Free Thursday Nights
Thu., Oct. 26, 2017
Walker Art Center galleries, Minneapolis
Tickets: Free event thanks to support from Target Free Thursday Nights at Walker Art Center

Emily Wells: The World Is Too ______ For You (World Premiere / Liquid Music Commission)
With violinist/composer Michi Wiancko, percussionist Greg Fox and musicians of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Thu., Nov. 16, 2017
Machine Shop, Minneapolis

Anna Meredith: Varmints (Midwest Premiere)
Copresented with Walker Art Center
Wed., Feb. 7, 2018
Aria, Minneapolis

No Fiction Festival — Nathalie Joachim: Fanm d'Ayiti (World Premiere / Liquid Music Commission)
With musicians of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Wed., Mar. 14, 2018
Amsterdam Bar & Hall, Saint Paul

Fanm d'Ayiti Related Event:
On Being with Nathalie Joachim and Krista Tippett
Mon., Jan. 15, 2018

No Fiction Festival — Brian Harnetty: Shawnee, Ohio
Tue., Mar. 20, 2018
Mairs Hall at Macalester College, Saint Paul

Shawnee, Ohio Related Event:
Shawnee, Ohio Gallery Installation
Visual and sound art by Brian Harnetty
Weitz Center for Creativity, Carleton College
Opening reception and exhibition run to be announced fall 2017

TU Dance and Justin Vernon (World Premiere / Liquid Music Commission)
Choreography by Uri Sands / Music by Justin Vernon
Thu., Apr. 19, 2018
Fri., Apr. 20, 2018
Sat., Apr. 21, 2018
Palace Theatre, Saint Paul

Grand Band: Degenerate Psalms (World Premiere)
New work by Missy Mazzoli alongside music of Julius Eastman, Michael Gordon, Paul Kerekes and Kate Moore for pianists Vicky Chow, David Friend, Paul Kerekes, Blair McMillen, Lisa Moore and Isabelle O'Connell
Wed., May 16, 2018
Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul

Vijay Iyer & Teju Cole: Blind Spot (Midwest Premiere)
Copresented with the Walker Art Center
The Walker's William and Nadine McGuire Theater, Minneapolis
Thu., May 31, 2018
Fri., June 1, 2018

Blind Spot Related Event:
On Being with Teju Cole and Krista Tippett
Wed., May 30, 2018
On Being Studios, 1619 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis

Ashwini Ramaswamy & Jace Clayton
Liquid Music artists in virtual residence 2017-18

Liquid Music's Virtual Residency program continues in the 2017-18 season with a project that brings together Minneapolis-based Bharatanatyam dancer/choreographer Ashwini Ramaswamy, celebrated for her ability to "[weave] together, both fearfully and joyfully, the human and the divine" (New York Times), and composer/DJ/author and "pan-global, post-everything superhero" (Wire), Jace Clayton.