SLSO: Live at the Pulitzer
Tim Munro’s curation of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s Live at the Pulitzer series explored a new relationship to art, to space, to people.
The Pulitzer Arts Foundation is an acclaimed space for art based in St. Louis. The celebrated building designed by Tadao Ando, features high ceilings, abundant natural light and a central reflecting pool. The SLSO has presented a an series of four concerts at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation for more than a decade. From 2018 to 2023, this series was curated by Tim Munro.
Live at the Pulitzer presents programs of music by living composers that explicitly respond to different elements of the museum. Responding to the Pulitzer’s "Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt", Munro presented music that broke boundaries, that physically broke instruments. Responding to Tadao Ando’s cathedral-like museum building, Munro presented music that provided space for reflection, even meditation. Responding to members of the audience, Munro presented music that brought listeners into the performance as active participants.
Credit: photographs by Virginia Harold, reproduced with permission
History
ERA Category
- Curated Public Exhibition/Event - Exhibition/Event
Funding type
- Private funds
Eligible major research output?
- Yes
Research Statement
Research Background: Tim Munro was Creative Partner with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2018 to 2023. As part of this project, he curated the Live at the Pulitzer series. This series took place in the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, an acclaimed space for art based in St. Louis. The SLSO has presented an annual series of four concerts at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation for more than a decade. Munro's programming focused on music by living composers. It explored connections: to the art on display, to Tadao Ando’s immersive museum space, and to the series’ audience members. Research Contribution: Munro’s work with the Pulitzer series makes valuable contributions in the ways that music can engage with place, people, and art. Live at the Pulitzer programs responded to exhibitions. During the Pulitzer’s "Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt", Munro presented music that broke boundaries and that physically broke instruments. Responding to Tadao Ando’s cathedral-like museum building, Munro presented music that provided space for reflection, even meditation. Responding to members of the audience, Munro created an immersive soundscape in the Pulitzer’s own public parkland; brought the audience into the performance as active participants; used each show as a opportunity for linkages, for storytelling; played musical games with audiences; and curated online material during Covid lockdowns. Research Significance: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is America’s 2nd oldest orchestra. It is renowned, nationally and internationally, for the quality of its players, the creativity of its programming and the stretch of its community engagement work. The Pulitzer Arts Foundation is known globally for its stunning architecture, innovative exhibitions and world class curatorial staff. During Munro’s tenure, the Live at the Pulitzer concerts were consistently sold out well in advance, and were reviewed in several local publications.Publisher
Pulitzer Arts FoundationPlace of publication
St. Louis, Missouri, USAPublisher URL
Medium
Concert seriesSize of work
Four one-hour-long concerts each year, across four years.Number of work performers
Between 4 and 10Estimated size of audience
1500Exhibition date from
2022-01-01Exhibition date to
2022-11-30Was the work disseminated?
- Yes
Form of dissemination
- Public performance
Scope of dissemination
- Local
Did the work go on tour?
- No