“Could We Be Quiet?”
Choreographed by Brian Brooks
Photo by Alex Markow courtesy of NWS
Photo by Alex Markow courtesy of NWS
Choreographic Concerto Part III
The Choreographic Concerto was a world-premiere collaboration between the New World Symphony (NWS) and the Miami City Ballet, held at the New World Center in Miami Beach from April 17–19, 2026. It featured five newly commissioned works pairing 10 of today's leading composers and choreographers. All five works had costume designs by Spiridonakou.
Watch an Excerpt
Except from New World Symphony’s WALL CAST performance of the “Could We Be Quiet?” (Part III of the Choreographic Concerto), on April 18th, 2026 at the New World Center in Miami Beach, FL.
Kevin Puts (credit: David White) and Brian Brooks (credit: Alexander Iziliaev)
About the Music
At the request of my friend Stéphane Dénève, I joined a multi composer project for the New World Symphony (of which Stéphane is Artistic Director) in collaboration with Miami City Ballet in April 2026. I was asked to contribute a slower piece for this project, and came up with Rosalie after a discussion with Stéphane about the term rosalie or rosalia which—as he told me—refers to a musical idea which gets repeated at successively higher pitch levels. Immediately after (or possibly during!) this conversation, I imagined a melody played by the English horn, and could hear it gradually rising through both changes in key and harmony, and also by way of gradually accumulating orchestral forces. I like the title's suggestion that the music is about someone named "Rosalie." At the premiere performance, the music is choreographed by Brian Brooks.
— Kevin Puts
About the Choreography
In our very noisy world, what is our capacity for calm? This intimate duet considers our ability to listen and respond to each other, in sometimes small but impactful ways. The piece, Could we be Quiet?, allows each gesture to be heard, carried by the escalating progression of the poetic score.
— Brian Brooks
Could We Be Quiet? Concept © Spiridonakou