Live Music by Emily Sprague and LEYA 

Floor 1, Lobby

6:30 pm, LEYA 
8 pm, Emily Sprague 

Join the Whitney for performances by LEYA and Emily Sprague at Free Friday Nights, co-presented by Brooklyn-based performance venue and community space Public Records as part of DURATIONS 2026. 

LEYA, the American duo of harpist Marilu Donovan and vocalist/violinist Adam Markiewicz, creates work within a singular world. Crafted of three basic elements - detuned harp (designed in a system by Donovan for the project), operatic yet beguiling vocals (delivered in an unlikely range by Markiewicz), and the enmeshment of his violin sound within those vocals, the duo has sought to explore as widely as possible with their language, creating work that continually defies what might seem possible. The New York Times has called it “the auditory equivalent of awakening in the fog of a bad dream only to discover you’re still trapped in the nightmare.”

Synthesist and composer Emily A. Sprague bridges intuitive sonic structures and expressive songwriting, yielding expansive terrains that are immediate and immersive. Sprague’s musical approach is deeply personal and rooted in unearthing a history of self, ways that people feel and connect with each other, and mercurial experiences of this reality. Phenomenological inquiry threads to a portal of self—a proxy through which listeners get to try on exploratory modes through ambient composition, sonic shapes, and subtly striking textures that build atmosphere and visceral splendor. Recorded albums and performances alike serve as a vehicle for Sprague to connect meaningfully with listeners across time, tethered in emotional coherence despite disparate geographies.

Admission is free to all visitors every Friday evening from 5–10 pm. In addition to music, join us for world-class exhibitions of contemporary American art, cocktails with views at Studio Bar, and more.