Osso
from
the Faith
& Work
Conference

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”  —Plato

In an era of music where sound is increasingly processed and made to fit in as noise, Osso brings energy and the alluring, raw sound of acoustic live performance to the fun, dynamic world of indie rock. A string quartet with a modern pulse, members of Osso have collaborated and performed with an array of artists and genres, including Jay-Z, Alice and Ravi Coltrane, My Brightest Diamond, The Polyphonic Spree, The National, Devotchka, and Kanye West. Osso’s experiences performing contemporary music ensembles such as Alarm Will Sound and Ensemble Signal give them a gritty edge for extended techniques, and the precision and technical prowess of a classical string quartet, while bringing the fun, energetic power of performing with bands to the stage.

Osso’s set from the Faith & Work Conference features works from their debut album, Run Rabbit Run. These pieces, originally tracks from Sufjan Stevens’s 2001 electronic music album Enjoy Your Rabbit, have new life in these arrangements for string quartet by some of today's leading voices in the New York New Music scene such as Gabriel Kahane and Nico Muhly. In the joyous galloping of horses, mischievous hops of rabbits, and wild squeals of boars, we will experience the excitement, imagination, and energy unique to live performance. 

Year of the Dragon, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Nico Muhly
Year of the Tiger, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Rob Moose
Year of the Horse, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Rob Moose
Year of the Rooster, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Gabriel Kahane
Year of the Rabbit, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Michael Atkinson
O Albion from Arcadiana, Thomas Adés
Year of the Boar, Sufjan Stevens, arr. Michael Atkinson

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