Wild Up: The Music of Julius Eastman

Julius Eastman was an American maverick and radical who challenged the exclusionary foundations of European classical music and organized his compositions as tools for social change. Eastman was also an activist who deployed his life experiences as a gay African American as the impetus to question what it means to be American and an artist, and the ideals of United States and western classical music. Wild Up Artistic Director Christopher Rountree launched the ensemble in 2010 with a vision that rejected outdated traditions and threw classical repertoire into the context of pop culture, new music, and performance art.

Following a residency on campus, Stanford students will join Wild Up to perform some of Eastman’s work including Gay Guerilla, Buddha, and Joy Boy. Known for “organic music”, Eastman’s work will challenge the students to find their own interpretation and vision.