Wild Up - Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence

wild up

Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence

Release date: June 21, 2024 | Cover photo: Chris Rusiniak

On June 21, 2024, Wild Up — the multiple-time GRAMMY®-nominated contemporary music ensemble that has been called “a raucous, grungy, irresistibly exuberant … fun-loving, exceptionally virtuosic family” by The New York Times and turned in a stunning NPR Tiny Desk performance last year — releases Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence.

The Holy Presence is the latest entry in Wild Up’s ongoing anthology exploring the works of Julius Eastman, the late composer who not only took innovative approaches to orchestration and musical notation but injected a defiantly Black, queer perspective into the overwhelmingly white, straight world of classical music.

The Holy Presence is the latest entry in Wild Up’s ongoing anthology exploring the works of Julius Eastman, the late composer who not only took innovative approaches to orchestration and musical notation but injected a defiantly Black, queer perspective into the overwhelmingly white, straight world of classical music.
With The Holy Presence, Wild Up digs ever deeper into Eastman’s oeuvre, performing lesser-known works that represent a mystically charged and spiritually reflective vein of his dynamic catalog. Featuring lead contributions from Davóne Tines (the rising performer who The New Yorker says is “changing what it means to be a classical singer”) and long-time Wild Up members Richard Valitutto (deemed “a keyboard superstar” by The New Yorker) and Seth Parker Woods (who The Guardian calls “a cellist of power and grace”), The Holy Presence also emphasizes some of the singular talents who count themselves among Wild Up’s broader collective.
Valitutto is an expressive blur on the tumultuous “Piano 2,” while Tines lends an authoritative ominousness to the aforementioned “Our Father” and the acapella “Prelude To The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc.” However, the collection’s undeniable centerpiece is “The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc,” Eastman’s tribute to the medieval heroine who somewhat paradoxically has become both the personification of fiery religious conviction and a retrospective queer icon.
The inclusion of “The Holy Presence Of Joan d’Arc” owes itself to the dedicated scholarship of Clarice Jensen but also to Seth Parker Woods’ herculean ambition. Performed solely by Woods on ten multi-tracked cello parts, it’s a towering achievement captured with furious precision and tenacity.

1. Our Father
2. Piano 2
3. Prelude To The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc
4. The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc
Wild Up
Andrew McIntosh, viola
Mona Tian, viola
Linnea Powell, viola
Diana Wade, viola
Derek Stein, cello
Hillary Smith, cello
Christopher Ahn, cello
Niall Taro Ferguson, cello
Seth Parker Woods, cello
Stephen Pfeifer, bass
Marlon Martinez, bass
Davóne Tines, voice
richard valitutto, piano
Seth Parker Woods, cello
Christopher Rountree, conductor / artistic director
Produced, recorded, and mixed by Lewis Pesacov with additional production by Christopher Rountree
Engineered by Lewis Pesacov and Clint Welander
Additional mixing on Prelude to the Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc by Clint Welander
Recorded at East West Studios, Infinitespin Studio, and Sunset Sound
Mixed at Ahata Sound
Mastered by Reuben Cohen at Lurssen Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
Designer: Andrea Hyde
Cover Photo: Christine Rusiniak
Session Photos: Glen Hahn and Sam Lee
Live Photo: Joe Sinnott
Liner Notes: Harmony Holiday
Executive Producer: Elizabeth Cline
Production Associate: Glenna Adkins