​Andrew Norman’s “An Index of Particular Strokes” for string quartet is the composer’s attempt “to write the most “un-quartety” quartet” he could imagine. Winner of the Graweyer Award and praised by the New York Times as “one of the most gifted and respected composers of his generation”, Norman conceived of “Index” as an attempt to erase the performers’ individual voices and instead create a “meta-instrument” in which the four voices perform in a highly percussive and driving unison.

Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté is the daughter of Mali’s greatest traditional singer, and is beloved in her homeland and abroad for her highly acclaimed performances, compositions and recordings. Her 2018 collaboration with Kronos Quartet resulted in “Tegere Tulon”, a series of handclapping songs transcribed and arranged for string quartet by Jacob Garchik. These songs were created to encourage Malians not to abandon this disappearing cultural heritage.

These films were shot at MATCH and the Houston Botanic Garden. Both “Tegere Tulon” and “An Index of Particular Strokes” were performed by longtime Musiqa artists Jackson Guillén (violin), Jacob Schafer (violin), Sergein Yap (viola) and Mayara Velasquez (cello). Audio was recorded by well-known Houston recording engineer Andy Bradley, a local institution who has worked with everyone from Willie Nelson to Itzhak Pearlman.

The Open Dance Project company of dancers was joined on film by ODP2, Open Dance Project’s company of young dancers who range in age from 12 through 18, and take part in a rigorous schedule of ballet and modern dance courses under the guidance of Artistic Director Arnoult. “Inside/Out” provided them the opportunity to work and train in building a new contemporary modern dance from the ground up.