2021

Houses of Zodiac

Composer Paola Prestini and cellist Jeffrey Zeigler present 'Houses of Zodiac: Poems for Cello,' an album, film, and immersive video installation that combines spoken word, movement, music, and image to explore the intersection of mind, body, and nature.

Houses of Zodiac is the first solo album collaboration between composer Paola Prestini and her husband, cellist Jeffrey Zeigler. The project features an accompanying film and immersive video installation directed by filmmaker Murat Eyuboglu, featuring New York City Ballet soloist Georgina Pazcoguin and Butoh dancer Dai Matsuoka. The live performance version of the project incorporates music, dance and film.

For more information on the larger Houses of Zodiac project, visit the project page here.
For more details on the film component of the project, visit the film site here.

CREDITS

vocals composed by Tanya Tagaq
Nels Cline, guitar
Cornelius Duffalo, violin
David Cossin, percussion
Paola Prestini, piano and electronics
Featuring poetry by Pablo Neruda, Anaïs Nin read by Maria Popova, Brenda Shaughnessy, and Natasha Tretheway

PRESS

New York retains a remarkable cadre of composers... but chief among these is the singular figure of Paola Prestini.

Financial Times

[Jeffrey Zeigler plays with] fiery...unforced simplicity and beauty of tone.

The New York Times

A clear and extremely successful attempt at blowing the minds of adventurous music lovers.

Strings Magazine of Houses of Zodiac

The spirited dancer Georgina Pazcoguin can blaze her way across a stage.

The New York Times

Humanity and the cosmos yearned to be aligned for a minute, one of those magic butoh moments in the house.

Los Angeles Times on Dai Matsuoka

[Eyuboglu’s work is] emotionally and intellectually rich.