Commissioning Joshua Roman

ProtoStar has commissioned noted American cellist and composer Joshua Roman to compose a Musical Journal of our shared experiences during the Coronavirus pandemic. The Musical Journal will seek to capture this unique moment in history and will be showcased in a World Premiere. The date and venue of the World Premiere, as well as the artists who will perform the commissioned work with Roman, will be announced at a future time.

“Joshua is not only a world-class cellist, but also a remarkable composer,” said Gary P. Poon, President of the ProtoStar Group. “I am intrigued by his ability to seamlessly incorporate many different musical styles and convey a broad range of human emotions in a compelling manner. His compositions express the quintessence of what it means to be human.”

“The intensity of emotion, change, and reflection that has come about because of the global crisis we are currently experiencing is like nothing I have ever imagined,” said Roman. “I am incredibly grateful to Gary and the ProtoStar Group for giving me this opportunity to shape my time and actions in a way that faces these challenges with meaningful artistic values. I hope to honor the suffering, resilience, and hope of others around the world through creating and sharing this Musical Journal in real time, with the knowledge that the through line of this project reflects our experiences as individuals yearning for connection and understanding.”

A Modern Commissioning Model

Roman is given complete artistic freedom to compose the Musical Journal, which will consist of short pieces for the cello. “We are taking the old patronage model and modernizing it,” Poon added. The cello suites will initially be in the form of audio recordings and later transcribed into written compositions. “Part of what makes this commission so exciting – and contemporary – is that Joshua will be sharing some of the pieces in real time. He will be using his creativity to tap into how others are feeling during this pandemic and vice versa.”

About Joshua Roman

Joshua Roman is a cellist, accomplished composer, and curator whose performances embrace musical styles from Bach to Radiohead. Roman was the Seattle Symphony’s principal cellist – a job he began at just 22 years of age and left only two years later to set off on his unique path as a soloist. Known endearingly as “something of a maverick,” he has since become renowned for his genre-bending repertoire and wide-ranging collaborations. Roman was named a TED Senior Fellow in 2015. His live performance of the complete Six Suites for Solo Cello by J.S. Bach on TED’s Facebook Page garnered almost one million live viewers, with millions more for his Main Stage TED Talks/Performances, including an improvisational performance with Tony-winner/MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Bill T. Jones and East African vocalist Somi.

Roman’s adventurous spirit has led to collaborations with artists outside the music community, including creating “On Grace” with Tony-nominated actor Anna Deavere Smith. His compositions are inspired by sources such as the poetry of Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy K. Smith, and the musicians he writes for, such as the JACK Quartet, violinist Vadim Gluzman, and conductor David Danzmayr. Roman’s outreach endeavors have taken him to Uganda with his violin-playing siblings, where they played chamber music in schools, HIV/AIDS centers, and displacement camps. For more information about Roman, please visit:  https://www.opus3artists.com/artists/joshua-roman/.