Stories of cultural transmission and preservation, of the struggle for human rights, and of learning by listening
We experience a world of sound thanks to the three smallest bones in our bodies. These three tiny bones in our ears—the malleus (“hammer”), incus (“anvil”), and stapes (“stirrup”)—amplify faint vibrations from the outside world, enabling our minds to transform these signals into the aural landscape we know. The sounds of laughter, arguments, raindrops, thunder, and, of course, music are born from the perfect alignment of these three bones—nature’s own amplifier.
Three Bones is a forthcoming multimedia presentation whose purpose is also to amplify. As we approach 2026 and the 250th anniversary of the United States, Kronos marks the occasion by sharing and celebrating three American stories that deserve to be heard more widely. Realized on stage through music, story telling, vintage recordings, video elements, and visual arts, Three Bones expands on what a concert is through its dynamic narrative structure.
Performed by Kronos and an array of luminary special guests, Three Bones comprises of three segments, each of which marries live performance with vintage recordings.
Each segment of Three Bones can stand by itself as a testament to a unique dimension of America’s diverse cultural past. Collectively, the three segments tie together a powerful reflection on how people define their own destinies and tell their own stories, bringing together commissioned works from the Kronos Fifty for the Future repertoire alongside archival materials and compelling visual design. Three Bones is a modular work and may be presented in any of the following ways:
- A ONE-NIGHT PERFORMANCE OF ALL THREE SEGMENTS in a two-hour concert with two intermissions, and including three guest artists
- THREE NIGHTS OF PERFORMANCES, each night including one segment in a 40-minute performance, joined by one guest artist each night
- A ONE-NIGHT PERFORMANCE OF A SINGLE, STAND-ALONE SEGMENT or paired with a set of classic Kronos pieces, separated by an intermission
SEGMENT I. GROUND
The first segment of Three Bones will feature guest artist Laura Ortman (a member of the White Mountain Apache tribe) in her visceral, gripping and poignant performance of vocals and electric Apache violin with Kronos. This segment will also include music by composer and artist Raven Chacon (a Diné) and recorded elements of work by the late storyteller and stand-up comedian Andrew “Drew” Lacapa (an Apache Hopi Tewa).
A soloist musician, composer, and vibrant collaborator, LAURA ORTMAN creates across multiple platforms, including recorded albums, live performances, and filmic and artistic soundtracks. An inquisitive and exquisite violinist, Ortman is versed in Apache violin, piano, electric guitar, keyboards, and amplified violin, and often sings through a megaphone. She is a producer of capacious field recordings.
RAVEN CHACON is a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer whose work has been exhibited at The National Museum for the American Indian, the Sydney Bienniale, the Kennedy Center, and the Whitney Biennial. Chacon has also collaborated with Ortman on The Journey of the Horizontal People for the Kronos Fifty for the Future initiative.
SEGMENT II. AT THE SEA ISLANDS
The second segment is a tribute to the work of linguists Lorenzo Dow Turner, Patricia JonesJackson, and others, highlighting direct connections among the cultures of Western Africa and the United States that were nearly lost to history. Featuring a guest performance by percussionist Quentin Baxter, this segment will center on “Amelia’s Song,” recorded by Turner in 1932, and will include music by Charlton Singleton of South Carolina and longtime Kronos arranger and composer Jacob Garchik; excerpts of recorded interviews by the iconic American historian Studs Terkel, and more.
CHARLTON SINGLETON is an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and composer whose most recent project, the band Ranky Tanky, celebrates the unique language and culture of the Gullah in the Black American Southeast. His work Testimony is part of the Kronos Fifty for the Future initiative.
QUENTIN BAXTER is a GRAMMY Award–winning artist and co-collaborator in Ranky Tanky. Quentin is a master percussionist who specializes in bringing Gullah traditions to new settings.
TREVOR WESTON is an American composer, author, and educator who currently chairs the Music Department at Drew University in New Jersey. His work Juba for String Quartet explores Gullah music as well as traditional performance practices from the African American musical tradition.
SEGMENT III. BEYOND THE GOLDEN GATE
The third segment is rooted in the work of San Francisco community activist David Lei and explores how Chinese Americans have harnessed the U.S. legal system to define and expand civil and immigrant rights. Guests artists for this segment will include pipa virtuoso Wu Man and experimental musician Victoria Shen, with music by composers Lei Liang, Dai Wei, and others, along with projected visuals by San Francisco fiber artist Windy Chien and others. This segment will build upon a version of “Beyond the Golden Gate” that was created for the 2024 Kronos Festival.
WU MAN is an internationally acclaimed pipa player and frequent collaborator with the Kronos Quartet.
DAI WEI is an experimental composer and vocalist whose work seeks to uncover unseen and untold histories from the communities about which she writes.
VICTORIA SHEN is a sound artist, experimental composer and instrument maker. Her work centers around the spatial experience of sound in the human body.
LEI LIANG, a Rome Prize-winning artist, creates immersive musical and video art that encourages audiences to listen deeply and actively.
Contact Us
Premiering in 2026, Three Bones is made possible in part through the generous support of co-commissioners Carnegie Hall, Spoleto Festival USA, and Arizona Arts. In addition to producing organization Kronos Performing Arts Association (KPAA), Three Bones will rely on the financial investment and active participation of a network of national and international co-commissioners. The work will also be supported by foundations, government agencies, and individual donors. Please contact MKI for more information about commissioning support and performance opportunities.