Henry Samra

STUPID F##KING BIRD

I’ve been very honored to have the opportunity to present original music for Oberlin’s Mainstage theater play STUPID F##KING BIRD alongside my collaborator Indigo Brandstein. STUPID F##KING BIRD was written by Aaron Posner as a modernist adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s classic play “The Seagull” and it explores themes of love, loss, longing, and more intense themes like self-harm and suicide. It was truly a joy to be a part of this production directed by Anjanette Hall, and much thanks to Indigo Brandstein for writing the other half of music as well as contributing live saxophone parts, Scott Devine for technical assistance, Eli Stine for compositional help, and the rest of the production team for being great to work with. STUPID F##KING BIRD opens Thursday October 9th at the Irene and Alan Wurtzel Theater, and performances run until Sunday October 12th. Stay tuned for an album release of the music in mid to late November.

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About the author

Henry Samra is a keyboardist, percussionist, and composer from Chicago who specializes in live processing of instruments and guided improvisation, working in the intersection of performance, electronics, and collaborative creation across disciplines. He has had works presented at SEAMUS, MOXSonic, Performing Media Festival, and Electronic Music Midwest. Outside of the musical world, he is an avid cyclist and an advocate for sustainable transportation infrastructure. Henry is currently completing a B.M. in Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA) and B.A. in Computer Science at Oberlin College and Conservatory and studies percussion with Ross Karre.