EXO is thrilled to partner with the historic All Souls Unitarian Church of New York City to present Toward the Sea, a program that reflects on the urgency for environmental protection for the ocean through music inspired by whales and the sea. This immersive concert is designed for the unique acoustics of All Souls – the same church that Herman Melville attended in the 19th century. Curated by James Blachly and 2025-26 EXO Artistic Partner Catherine Gregory, the concert includes Blachly’s songs commissioned for All Souls Unitarian Church with texts drawn from Moby Dick, EXO Artistic Partner Michelle Ross’s meditative, personal composition The Whale Song, a reimagined version of Maurice Ravel’s Une barque sur l’ocean with David Kaplan, piano, Toru Takemitsu’s Toward the Sea II, a piece commissioned by Greenpeace and inspired by Moby Dick, and a rare performance of Welsh composer Grace Williams’s energetic Sea Sketches, a little known tour-de-force for string orchestra and a reflection of the sea’s power. 

The concert concludes with an immersive invitation to George Crumb’s iconic Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) for Three Masked Players (Electric Flute, Electric Cello and Amplified Piano) featuring Catherine Gregory on flute, voice, and crotales, Mihai Marica on cello, and David Kaplan on piano.