s t a r g a z e

Led by conductor André de Ridder, Berlin's experimental orchestral collective s t a r g a z e is dedicated to collaborating with and reinterpreting the works of innovative pop, folk, and electronic artists. Emerging in 2013, the ensemble has initiated myriad projects and commissioned collaborations with a wide array of artists, including Julia Holter, Owen Pallett, Villagers, and These New Puritans, among many others. One of the collective's first projects was a series of reworkings of Terry Riley's In C that found s t a r g a z e teaming up with Matthew Herbert, Bill Frisell, Mouse on Mars, Tyondai Braxton, and, in 2015, Riley himself. From there, the collective worked with artists including Lee Ranaldo, Shara Worden, Grant Hart, Iceage, Loney Dear, and Matmos. In addition, s t a r g a z e performed compositions by Jonny Greenwood, Mica Levi, and the National's Bryce Dessner at events such as their own "s t a r g a z e presents" concert series. In 2014, the collective appeared on These New Puritans' album Field of Reeds. The following year, they contributed a version of "What's Become of the Baby" to Day of the Dead, the Grateful Dead tribute album released by Red Hott and curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner, and worked with Bryce on his music for Alejandro Iñárritu's film The Revenant. That year, s t a r g a z e also signed to Transgressive Records, which released their debut EP, Deerhoof Chamber Variations, a piece based on the band's music and arranged and recomposed by drummer Greg Saunier. Early in 2016, s t a r g a z e began a long-running collaboration with Poliça that spawned 2017's Bruise Blood (a reworking of Steve Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood) and the following year's politically charged Music for the Long Emergency. 2018 saw the collective team up with Irish singer/songwriter Lisa Hannigan for a performance featuring evocative re-workings of songs from across her three solo albums. A recording of the concert Live in Dublin was released in early 2019. ~ Heather Phares