Praised for “vibrant and colorful” singing (The New York Times) and for “beauty of voice, coupled with her artistry and natural ease as a performer, that is always a joy to experience” (Seen and Heard International) mezzo-soprano Kate Maroney’s recent appearances include with the Pacific Symphony, Colorado Bach Ensemble, Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, New York City Ballet, Santa Fe Desert Chorale and Symphony, Seraphic Fire, Berkshire Choral Festival, TENET, Carmel Bach Festival, Opera Grand Rapids, New York Baroque Incorporated at Trinity Wall Street, LA Opera, Lincoln Center Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Musica Sacra, Bach Collegium San Diego, Princeton Pro Musica, Bach Vespers Holy Trinity, Mark Morris Dance Group, Yale Choral Artists, American Opera Projects, Berkshire Bach Society, and Clarion. Kate has premiered works and collaborated closely with Philip Glass (toured the world from 2012—2015 as a soloist in Philip Glass and Robert Wilson’s Einstein on the Beach), John Corigliano, David Lang, Michael Gordon, Martin Bresnick, Julia Wolfe, Missy Mazzoli, Daniel Felsenfeld, Alex Weiser, Hannah Lash, Nina Young, Dominick Argento, Christopher Cerrone, Ted Hearne, and Scott Wheeler. She is featured on Grammy-nominated recordings with Albany, Naxos, and New Amsterdam Records, and recently recorded works of John Eaton in collaboration with the American Composers Alliance and the John Eaton Estate. She holds a D.M.A. from Eastman, degrees SUNY Purchase and Yale, teaches voice pedagogy at Mannes, and resides in Brooklyn with musician-husband Red Wierenga and new son, Ossian.
Red Wierenga is a pianist, accordionist, respectronicist, improviser, and composer based in New York City. His longest creative association is with the Respect Sextet, called “a group which has released one of the most compelling recordings of the year” by the Wall Street Journal, and “one of the best and most ambitious new ensembles in jazz” by Signal To Noise. He has performed and/or recorded with artists including The Claudia Quintet, Ensemble Signal, Bang on a Can Opera, the Fireworks Ensemble, and David Crowell. Wierenga builds and performs with new interfaces for electroacoustic improvisation, working with analog and digital synthesizers. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Harold Danko, Ralph Alessi, and Kevin Puts. After having studied at the Institute of Sonology in The Hague with Joel Ryan and Paul Berg, he received his Ph.D. from CUNY Graduate Center, where he was an Enhanced Chancellor’s Fellow and where his teachers included Jason Eckardt, Douglas Geers, and David Grubbs He has taught at Baruch College and currently teaches at the Brooklyn College Center for Computer Music and works for the music technology company ROLI.
Irwin Heilner (b. New York City, May 14, 1908; d. January 18, 1991) was an American composer of contemporary classical music. Heilner lived in Brooklyn. In 1932 he was a member of the Young Composers' Group, which was founded by the composer Elie Siegmeister and which met regularly at the home of the composer Aaron Copland. Heilner studied with Nadia Boulanger beginning in the late spring of 1932, having been recommended by Aaron Copland. The two did not get along, however, and his planned three years of study lasted for just three months. His music was championed and recorded by William Strickland.
Starlings on the Roof - Irwin Heilner
Recorded at home in Rochester, NY, July 2020
Kate Maroney, voice
Red Wierenga, piano
Mastered by Robert Scott Thompson, Aucourant Records.
Property of Shelter Recording Project, American Composers Alliance
