nienteForte Contemporary Music presents Sixto Franco Violist
Monday, December 4, 2023
Performance at 7:30PM | Doors at 7:00PM
Suggested Donation: $20 – General Admission // $10 – Student, senior, etc.
None turned away for lack of funds, no pressure
nienteForte Contemporary Music presents Sixto Franco – violist and composer
Newest member of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Sixto Franco is a violist, composer, improviser, teacher and a performing arts enthusiast. He is enjoying an active career in the musical arts, having concertized in Europe, United States, Mexico and Uruguay. Sixto is also the founder of the Quijote Duo, a viola and cello formation that strives to create new spaces that promote creative collaborations.
The creative side of Sixto Franco has led him to venture into composition. He has written music for different mediums such as chamber music, theater and dance. He made his debut on February 2011 premiering his work “Blanco y Negro” in a Cancer Benefit Concert promoted by the Spanish Consulate in Los Angeles. The “malArte Association” of Valencia, Spain, premiered his piece Five “O’clock Tabu” as the soundtrack for the interdisciplinary work with the same title. His latest commissions include Tulane University’s production of the theater play The Jane Project.
Sixto Franco is passionate about chamber music and has had the honor to perform with Eighth Black Bird Ensemble, International Chamber Artists, Symbiosis Ensemble in L.A., Music of the Americas Project, the Chicago Ensemble, the Chicago Chamber Music Festival, Gesher Music Festival in St. Louis, MO, and the Versipel Ensemble in New Orleans.
Soloist appearances include the Camerata Musicalis, Chamber Orchestra of Salamanca, the Lira Castellonera Symphonic Band, Spain and the Thornton Music School Chamber Orchestra. He is has also served in the Santa Barbara Chamber orchestra, the Barcelona Symphony, Chicago Chamber Orchestra, the Elgin Symphony, and the Chicago Philharmonic, In addition, he has had the honor to perform with artists such as Paquito D ́Rivera, Fareed Haque, Ernie Adams, Robert McDuffy, Mike Mills, Steve Larson and Austin Wintory.
Sixto has also been the curator of the Mu Live concert series at Mu Art Gallery of Chicago, a performance series that strived to highlight local artists by pairing music with sculptures and visual art.
Sixto and his wife Rachel, an amazing lighting designer, enjoy taking their two kids, Odessa and Otis, to music, theater and dance shows all over New Orleans.
DANCER – EMILY MADEIRA
My name is Emily. I see myself as a movement investigator. From ages 10 to 21, I practiced various styles of dance including ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, and pointe. My movement practice expanded into flow arts in 2012, which led me to street performing in various cities around the US. I started working for Agenda For Children in 2018 as a Program Manager, advocating for quality early child care on behalf of educators, families, and children in Orleans parish. In 2021, I received my Masters in Social Work from Tulane University. As a result of these studies, I have felt compelled to study fun and play, and the dearth of real fun being experienced by adults in the collective day to day. In 2023 I spent 6 months in Argentina studying the art of clowning. Most recently I am exploring movement with physical structures and various materials, as well as practicing contact improv. As an artist I am playing with bringing my most whole self onto the stage and into my everyday life without shame or shield.
