Damian Norfleet performing his transcription of Julius Eastman's "Prelude to The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc" followed by the Rebekah Heller Bassoon Ensemble performing Heller's arrangement of "The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc" for ten bassoons. Fridman Gallery New York City June 8, 2024

These excerpts are from a performance that was presented live in Roulette's theater in Downtown Brooklyn. Roulette’s mission is to support artists creating new and adventurous art in all disciplines by providing them with a venue and resources to realize their creative visions and to build an audience interested in the evolution of experimental art. These recent works by George Lewis are part of the composer’s ongoing exploration of what decolonization might sound like. Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble Apis (2019): Baritone, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet in B-Flat, Trumpet in C, Trombone Creative Construction SetTM (2015): Open instrumentation

This is an improvisation performed on Ensemble Pi's 2020 Reparations Now! concert. The piece, a tribute to Elijah McClain, reimagines his final words on earth as his first words in heaven.

This is a preview of composer/pianist Courtney Bryan’s Blessed (Online debut 2021, Cinematic debut 2022). The piece is a multi-layered exploration of darkness and light, hope and love, weaving together musical recordings and film footage from New Orleans, New York, and Philadelphia (shot by filmmaker/artist Tiona Nekkia McClodden. Created as a response to the milestone events of 2020—the uprising in response to police brutality against Black men and women, the November election—Blessed reflects upon the Christian Bible’s avowal that the meek will one day “inherit the earth.” The score was created with both written and improvised music, and Damian Norfleet also provided improvisation on vocals and texts.

The Messenger Scene from The Bread and Puppet Theater's 2021 production of The Persians by Aeschylus. The scene was improvised by actor/vocalist Damian Norfleet and puppeteer/dancer Maura Gahan. The production was directed by Peter Schumann.

Composing While Black Kaufman Music Center New York, NY November 1, 2023 Performed by:  Vimbayi Kaziboni, conductor Damian Norfleet, voice Laura Cocks, flute/piccolo Kemp Jernigan, oboe Joshua Rubin, clarinet Jonathan Finlayson, trumpet Jacob Greenberg, piano Ross Karre, percussion Gabriela Díaz, violin Clare Monfredo, cello Randall Ziegler, double bass Follow us on social media for more @intcontemporary ! Adegoke Steve Colson's MIRRORS is commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation. This performance is made possible, in part, due to support from the Fromm Music Foundation. The International Contemporary Ensemble’s performances and commissioning activities during the 2023-24 concert season are made possible by the generous support of our board of directors, many individuals, as well as the Mellon Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music Inc., Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, Amphion Foundation, The Cheswatyr Foundation, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Siemens Musikstiftung, New Music USA, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, BMI Foundation, as well as public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council for the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Yamaha Artist Services New York is the exclusive piano provider for the International Contemporary Ensemble.