Meet the Composer

Nico Muhly, photo by Samantha West

I Drink the Air Before Me, an evening length dance piece brings together the talents of composer Muhly and choreographer Petronio for a work that will explore the power and speed of weather. Raging storms, drought and flood, extremes of heat, cold, moisture and humidity will serve as the turbulent and unpredictable atmospheric models for building shifting fields of motion and sound. For this work, the Petronio Company will expand from the current 8 dancers to 17 dancers. The Young People’s Chorus of New York—a 44 member group ranging in age from 12-17 years—will be utilized in Muhly’s original score.