“A little bit boy is trying to find his voice inside a drop of water, taken by the king of the crickets.” This intriguing premise unfolds in El Niño Mudo, composed by Andy Teirstein. The narrative follows a younger boy as he tentatively performs his trumpet, reaching right into a pond but discovering nothing. Close by, a dancer glides via a stone set up whereas a xylophonist mimics the intricate tune of crickets, harmonizing fantastically with the fascinating narration of the vocalist. As she strikes intentionally over the construction, wearing easy but enigmatic apparel, one wonders: does she possess the important thing to this thriller?
El Niño Mudo (translated as The Mute Boy) attracts inspiration from Federico García Lorca’s poem of the identical title, included in his assortment, Canciones (1927). This musical movie options an evocative rating using soprano, marimba, and trumpet. Principal dancer Xin Ying brings the boy’s journey to life via her choreography, whereas Finn Dewitt portrays the boy himself. The drama unfolds underneath the ethereal voice of Andrea Jones-Sojola, punctuated by the mild cricket sounds created by percussionist Valerie Naranjo. Shot artistically by Fernando Minichiello at Opus 40 in Saugerties, New York, El Niño Mudo presents a surreal examination of historic separation and the search for restoration—a poignant reminder that such points lengthen past the grownup world.
Reflecting on El Niño Mudo, Andy Teirstein shares:
From the outset, I imagined this as a brief movie mixed with dance, that includes Finn Dewitt because the boy and Xin Ying because the dancer, all set throughout the extraordinary surroundings of Opus 40 in Saugerties, NY. This evocative web site, crafted over 40 years by sculptor Harvey Fite, resonates with the poem’s themes of generational disconnection and the battle for expression that many people face at this time.
About Andy Teirstein
Andy Teirstein is a multifaceted composer, author, filmmaker, performer, educator, and producer, actively creating works throughout live performance halls, movie, theater, and dance. A protégé of Leonard Bernstein and Henry Brant, his compositions are praised by The New York Occasions for his or her ingenuity and craftsmanship. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he has collaborated with notable figures comparable to Pete Seeger and Paul Simon, and has appeared in varied Broadway productions as an actor. His musical inspirations stem from the wealthy tapestry of up to date cultural folks traditions. Moreover, he has developed collaborative coursework at NYU fostering synergy between composers and dancers, and teaches on the NYU Jail Schooling Program.
About Andrea Jones-Sojola
Andrea Jones-Sojola is a gifted actress and singer, with a various portfolio in each stage and display performances. Her current reveals embrace A Wrinkle in Time at Area Stage, and he or she has graced Broadway in The Music Man and The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess. Different standout appearances in New York Metropolis embrace Carmen Jones, As soon as Upon a Mattress, Gentle within the Piazza, Brigadoon, Sweeney Todd, The Most Blissful Fella, Annie Get Your Gun, Parade, Candide, A Little Night time Music, and Hearth Shut up in My Bones. Her movie and TV credit lengthen to productions like For Coloured Ladies, Monsterland, FBI, The Blacklist, Mozart within the Jungle, The Sound of Music Stay!, and the upcoming collection American Basic. She has additionally lent her voice to quite a few tasks comparable to New Nigeria, The Lamb, and Unusual and Unexplained.
About Fernando Minichiello
Fernando Minichiello is a distinguished Director of Images and Artistic Producer, famend for his cinematic strategy and placing visible storytelling. With over a decade of intensive expertise in varied sectors, together with movie, music, style, and branded content material, his portfolio spans each expansive campaigns and intimate documentaries. He has mastered the artwork of modernizing legacy aesthetics into dynamic visible narratives and has collaborated with distinguished artists and international manufacturers. His proficiency covers the whole artistic spectrum—from conceptualization and course to post-production, constantly including a particular editorial aptitude to each undertaking.
About Xin Ying
Xin Ying is an interdisciplinary artist and MFA graduate from the NYU Tisch Dance program. As a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Firm, she was featured on the quilt of Dance Journal. Described by The Brooklyn Rail as “posthuman,” she innovates on the intersection of dance and expertise, having developed MarthaBot—an AI skilled on Graham’s archive. Xin premiered Lamentation: Dancing the Archive, a volumetric movie and AR set up, at Jacob’s Pillow in 2025, and her AI-driven duet Letter to No person, which permits her to bop with Martha Graham, debuted at The Joyce Theater that very same yr. She continues to push boundaries in exploring digital legacy and embodied reminiscence.
About Valerie Naranjo
Valerie Naranjo has lent her percussion skills to NBC’s Saturday Night time Stay Band for 3 a long time. Her wealthy musical background contains performances with Broadway’s The Lion King, the Philip Glass Ensemble, David Byrne, the Paul Winter Consort, Tori Amos, and others. Notably, she was the primary girl to carry out on gyil in Ghana, incomes first prize on the Kobine Competition in 1996. With roots in Southern Colorado because the daughter of Ute and Navajo mother and father, Valerie was inducted into the PAS Corridor of Fame in 2021 and has carried out on gyil throughout six continents, together with her most up-to-date performances in Beijing and Buenos Aires. She has been educating at NYU since 2011.
About Finn Dewitt
Finn has been devoted to enjoying the trumpet for the reason that age of seven. His musical journey contains two summers at Kinhaven Music College and a stint on the Berkshire Music Camp, together with 5 years with the Bridge Arts Jazz Lab. Past music, Finn is a passionate filmmaker. His movie, Escape!, earned first place on the Tales from the Catskills Novice Movie Competitors, and his work Sustainability secured two 1st place awards on the My Hero Movie Competition. He has gained expertise and acted in each Shakespeare play via New Genesis Productions. Presently homeschooled, Finn enjoys studying, sculpting, and composing on the piano.
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