Conceived by performer, composer, and American Modern Opera Company (AMOC*) member Keir GoGwilt, Zarabanda Variations brings together a group of visionary composers, performers, and poets in a surprising and vibrant synthesis of Baroque, folkloric, and contemporary music of the American hemisphere. The members of the ensemble work across genres including traditional Mariachi and Baroque music, improvisation collectives in Mexico City and New York, and contemporary composition, creating new songs and dances inspired by the eclecticism of the zarabanda: a dance with Spanish, pre-Columbian American, and African origin stories. Woven in with the music is the poetry of Edgar Garcia, whose work maps the emergence of the Baroque through scenes of colonial and contemporary translation, emergency, and migration. Zarabanda Variations celebrates its New York debut at Lincoln Center.

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“Zarabanda Variations” – Run AMOC

Lincoln Center

Following his acclaimed Festival debut in 2024 with Sarafand and in the world premiere opera Ruinous Gods, Phillip Golub returns to Spoleto for a residency showcasing the breadth of his own sound. A pianist, improviser, and composer, Golub creates highly original and expressive music, grounded in—but not constrained by—his engaged practice in jazz, creative music, and new music. This residency offers a unique opportunity to experience his artistry in a variety of settings, from intimate solo piano and duo performances to his dynamic quintet.

Phillip Golub

College of Charleston Recital Hall

Conceived by AMOC* violinist Keir GoGwilt, Zarabanda Variations brings together a group of visionary composers, improvisers, and performers to draw inspiration from the musical histories of 16th- and 17th-century New Spain/Mexico. The zarabanda is a dance with supposed Spanish, American, and Arab origins, plausibly named from the Bantu “nsala-banda,” which eventually transformed into a courtly dance of the European baroque. Zarabanda Variations explores the archival gaps of early American music, creating a surprising and vibrant synthesis of European and LatinBaroque, folk, and contemporary musical traditions.

Alec Goldfarb

Events

Past events

Jul 2, 2025

“Zarabanda Variations” – Run AMOC · AMOC / American Modern Opera Company

25 - 27 May, 2025

Phillip Golub · Spoleto Festival USA

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