This weekend in Washington, DC, music lovers may find themselves enjoying a concert outside of the typical concert hall: a repurposed subway tunnel known as the Dupont Underground. In Into the Light, Choral Arts will be performing Steve Reich’s Different Trains, Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and a new piece by Artistic Director Scott Tucker specifically composed for the acoustics of the venue. Audience members should expect to make their way underground through the tunnel during the duration of the program.
Find out more in our interview with Artistic Director Scott Tucker about Into the Light below.
No Proscenium (NP): Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
Scott Tucker (ST): My name is Scott Tucker, I am the Artistic Director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington. Before Choral Arts, I was a Professor in the Music Department at Cornell University, and before that I taught at Milton Academy in the Boston Area.
I live in the DC area with my wife Julie, who is a professional organist and choir director (and amazing cyclist and rock climber) and our daughter Zoe, who is almost two.
NP: What, in a nutshell, is the Into the Light project about?
ST: It is choral and string music presented in conjunction with projected imagery and movement in an underground former street car station called Dupont Underground. The music explores themes of light and darkness, both literally and metaphorically, and features among other works, a piece I wrote for the occasion; a setting of Sappho verses on the moon and stars, and also a Steve Reich piece called Different Trains for string quartet and pre-recorded sound.
Our collaborators on this project include the New Orchestra of Washington, the Aeolus String Quartet, Jay Brock (Stage Director), and JD Madsen (Production Design).
NP: Why did you create this experience? What inspired you?
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ST: I was inspired years ago by a colleague at Cornell to think about ways to present music outside of the normal concert experience. He had me read “Musicking” by Richard Small which deconstructs the concert hall experience. More recently, I was captivated by the description a friend gave who had attended the Berlin Rundfunkchor’s presentation of the Brahms Requiem, which was done in a large unadorned space, with theatrical elements and close audience/performer interaction. As an organization, we have been talking for a couple of years of ways to incorporate these ideas, and this is our first attempt of what I hope will be many.
NP: How is the venue incorporated into the experience?
ST: The acoustics of the underground street car station are quite live, and all of the music was chosen with the acoustics in mind. The audience, as well as the performers move slowly during the course of the evening along the platform from “darkness” into “light.” The well-worn concept of light at the end of the tunnel is never stated overtly, but is certainly an underlying suggestion.
The centerpiece of the concert, “Different Trains,” has an obvious association with the space. Reich wrote this piece about the train rides he used to take from LA to New York as a child, and reflects on what his fate would have been if his family had not escaped the Holocaust, and the different trains he would have ridden.
NP: How are you designing around audience agency, consent, and safety?
ST: Audience members have received a list of things to expect at this performance. Since the space is underground, there are stairs to contend with, a cool temperature, some uneven walking surfaces, etc. For those who wish to attend the performance, but would find standing and moving for the hour-plus difficult, limited seating is available. Staff is also available to assist anyone who might become uncomfortable during the course of the evening.
NP: Who is the ideal audience member for this show?
ST: Adventurous and curious music lovers.
NP: What do you hope participants take away from the experience?
ST: I hope that participants experience this music a little more intensely than they would in a concert hall. That they are inspired, moved, and even changed a little.
Into the Light plays April 5–6 at the Dupont Underground in DC. Tickets are $20.
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