The Score | Shape Music

For two years, Florida’s Nu Deco Ensemble has been making a splash at Miami-area venues with mixed-genre programs that often feature new music, DJs, dancers, and visual artists. In October, Nu Deco co-founders Sam Hyken, a trumpeter, composer, and arranger, and conductor Jacomo Bairos headed to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens to participate in a one-off yoga event. For the occasion, Bairos conducted Nu Deco in a new piece composed by Hyken and Ricardo Romaneiro, designed to sync with breathing and movement during a class led by yoga instructor Jennifer Pansa. It was a hit—yoga devotees snapped up tickets, wait lists were created, and the event sold out. Nu Deco’s 2017-18 season, its third, also includes performances at the North Beach Bandshell, Arsht Center, New World Center, and a space called The Light Box that often features new music. Nu Deco’s programs range from Stravinsky, Shostakovich, and Mason Bates to David Bowie, Daft Punk, Stevie Wonder, Depeche Mode, and Outkast. Both Hyken and Bairos hold degrees from Juilliard, and co-artistic director Bairos is also music director of the Amarillo Symphony in Texas.