Cellist Maya Beiser will perform Evan Ziporyn's startling new version of the complete Blackstar, David Bowie's last album, arranged as a cello concerto, as part of the MIT Sounding concert series. Beiser, who is the inaugural CAST Mellon Distinguished Visiting Artist this year at MIT, will perform with the 60-piece Ambient Orchestra, conducted by Ziporyn. The program will also feature a new ambient-ized version of Erik Satie's Gymnopedies featuring guitarist Branden Landis, and Ziporyn's own Frog's Eye.

This performance of Blackstar is an homage to David Bowie, who died in January 2016 shortly after the album was released. For both Beiser and Ziporyn, the ambitious project is a personal one.