Akropolis Reed Quintet_2025-26_Biographies.pdf

Winner of the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award, Akropolis has engaged more than 50,000 youth during its 16-year history, including an annual, yearlong residency at three high schools in their home Detroit community. As an independent nonprofit they have received grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and many individuals nationwide to support their educational programming, which comprises a noteworthy portion of their activity. At the elementary school level, Akropolis gives fast-paced, interactive concerts that include introductions to each performer and their instruments, plus a Q&amp;A. Certain musical selections include interactions and collaboration with students, who identify elements of the composition or share their observations. At the middle and high school level, Akropolis most enjoys performing for and interacting with students of all musical and artistic disciplines. They prefer engagement directly in the classroom if possible.&nbsp;“I am in awe of your genius in this educational arena and excited for all the young lives that you will impact and change because you are first and foremost extraordinary artists who are bringing that excellence and meticulous preparation and execution to the educational arena.”-Kathy Soroka, Allegheny RiverStone Center for Arts Education

K-12 Education

Akropolis believes that "quality" in classical music comes not only from the technical competency of the performers, but of the relevance an artist creates within their community. To do this, Akropolis engages their communities nationwide through experiences informed by the communities they serve. This includes collaborating with community members on new musical works, including&nbsp;so much more, featuring interviews with local business owners, and&nbsp;Sprocket, featuring a rideable percussion bike created by scrap metal artist, Juan Martinez. They commissioned new work from Detroit poet Marsha Music, and in their travels have performed with guest percussionists in several communities.&nbsp;Akropolis has performed at dozens of workplaces during its Detroit Workplace Concert Series, including hospitals, factories, tech companies, and more. They have performed in juvenile&nbsp;detention centers, homeless shelters, development centers, and senior care centers. They have given dozens of outdoor performances at parks and other pop-up locations, including grocery stores and farmers markets. They have given house concerts, backyard concerts, and concerts on river walks and bike paths.&nbsp; &nbsp;Each concert is custom-designed with community input and shaped to reflect the vibrancy of the community.&nbsp;

Community Engagement

A major part of Akropolis' mission is to facilitate the creation of new, vibrant careers in music. Akropolis hosts the Akropolis Chamber Music Institute (ACMI) each summer during which they directly collaborate with early-career instrumentalists and composers to create and record new works. Akropolis has given masterclasses, recitals, career development workshops, and readings of new works at over 50 universities. They have performed alongside collegiate students at certain residencies and offer two concertos for reed quintet and band: "Storm Warning" by Roshanne Etezady and "Un Momento Dado" by Johan De Meij. They especially enjoy conversations about career development, which they facilitate holistically, inviting students to consider the intersections of their personal lives, their careers, and their dreams.&nbsp;Akropolis' university offerings includes:<ul><li>Recitals</li><li>Master classes</li><li>Career development conversations/Q&amp;A's</li><li>Readings of student-composed works</li><li>1:1 mentoring/coaching</li><li>Concerto/other collaborative performances</li><li>Other offerings in collaboration with faculty and students</li></ul>

Career Development Workshops (University)

Akropolis Reed Quintet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Akropolis Reed Quintet

Featuring works by Jennifer Higdon and Derrick Skye commissioned by Akropolis in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Chamber Music America, this program shares stories from diverse viewpoints within the complex and dynamic fabric of American culture and history. Skye’s A Soulful Nexus is a transcultural work shaped by deep listening across musical traditions, while Pulitzer Prize-winning Jennifer Higdon’s first reed quintet derives its language from Higdon’s early influences of American folk music. Both contributing to and largely shaping the concept of modern American music, Florence Price and George Gershwin bookend the program with substantial contributions in classical form–the sonata and the tone poem–each deeply influenced by the cultural heritage that shaped their lives and their musical languages. &nbsp;

A Soulful Nexus

This program offers 4 masterworks of the multifaceted and expansive reed quintet musical canon forged by Akropolis’ 250+ commissions and premieres over its 17-year history, highlighted by the first reed quintet by Pulitzer Prize and 3-time Grammy Award-winning composer, Jennifer Higdon. The Akropolis Reed Quintet’s 7th album release–A Soulful Nexus by Derrick Skye–is a 30-minute transcultural work shaped by deep listening across musical traditions, created in partnership with the coveted Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program. “Masterworks” also features the world premiere of the first reed quintet by twice Grammy-nominated composer, Shawn E. Ekpebholo, and Florence Price’s seminal Sonata for Piano in E Minor.

Masterworks

This program is intended to stimulate a unique and individual listening experience for each audience member, each work offering a dynamic and colorful passage through time, culture, and geography. An examination of grief, time, and being, These few specks of time by Oswald Huỳnh explores the frictions of intergenerational relationships, conflicting ideals between East and West, and how different cultures perceive death, built upon two Vietnamese folk songs which form the basis of a sprawling soundscape. The Akropolis Reed Quintet’s 7th album release, A Soulful Nexus by Derrick Skye is a transcultural work shaped by deep listening across world musical traditions, created in partnership with the coveted Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Program. Closing the program, the first reed quintet by Pulitzer Prize and 3-time Grammy Award-winning composer, Jennifer Higdon, allows for a window into both the past and future of American music, as Higdon’s musical language–often credited as having shaped a new American musical identity–reaches back to folk traditions while simultaneously revolutionizing chamber music in real time.

These few specks of time

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GRAMMY® Award-winning, Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?&nbsp; is a “tour-de-force” (I Care If You Listen) of a concert experience that blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and contemporary music, examining what Ralph Ellison calls “the unity of American experience.” With a hybrid ensemble comprised of Akropolis Reed Quintet, pianist/composer Pascal Le Boeuf, and drummer Christian Euman, Le Boeuf deconstructs the fabric of his American experience by recognizing the strands of his musical DNA—Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein. What are the strands that form our collective identity, and are we dreaming the same dream?Akropolis became the first ever GRAMMY® winning reed quintet with their 2024 album, Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?, in collaboration with Pascal Le Boeuf and drummer Christian Euman, taking home Best Instrumental Composition for the track "Strands" at the 67th Grammy Awards held in February, 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>"Brilliant writing, exquisitely performed, and ingenuously conceived! Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? is a musical journey that shares a sound world that reveals the deep layers of life experience, and done so in the hands of some real masters of their instruments."&nbsp;</h3>~ Jennifer Higdon, Pulitzer Prize &amp; Grammy Award-Winning Composer&nbsp;<h3>Concert Repertoire</h3>Pascal Le Boeuf – Are We Dreaming the Same Dream? (full septet) 50′Pascal Le Boeuf – Variations on a Mood (Pascal &amp; Christian) 8'George Gershwin arr. Raaf Hekkema – An American in Paris (Akropolis) 18′Geri Allen arr. Le Boeuf – “RTG” (full septet) 5′Charles Mingus arr. Le Boeuf – “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” (full septet) 7′&nbsp;<h3>Watch GRAMMY® winning single, Strands: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt9IBnRuLGk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt9IBnRuLGk</a></h3>&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:75%;"><a href="https://akropolisquintet.org/are-we-dreaming-the-same-dream/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/2024_BST_Akropolis_Dream_1500x1500_cover_1_96a806d2cd.jpg"></a></figure><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>About Are We Dreaming The Same Dream?</h3>“America is woven of many strands; I would recognize them and let it so remain.” Ralph Ellison, from Invisible Man (1952)“If one were to examine [...] the DNA of one’s influences [...] in terms of how the various strands interact to create the artist, one would see how important conflict between strands is.” Bill T. Jones, from Story/Time (2014)"Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?" is an examination of what Ralph Ellison calls “the unity of American experience” and draws upon a selection of my musical “ancestors” — Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein — each of whom have historically represented a variety of perspectives concerning the unity of American experience. Following this chain of artistic ancestry leads to Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, Aaron Copland, and beyond.This project was prompted by a quote from choreographer Bill T. Jones. When I first worked with Bill in 2014, I was taken by his fearless approach to creating socially engaged art, and the myriad ways in which he married improvised and planned material throughout the collaborative process. That same year, he published Story/Time (Princeton University Press) which examines his artistic relationship to John Cage, whom he both admires and questions.“If one were to examine [...] the DNA of one’s influences [...] in terms of how the various strands interact to create the artist, one would see how important conflict between strands is. I don’t think any artist can come to who they are without experiencing this conflict. [...] In some cases, one has to accept an uncomfortable fit in order to become the artist one truly is.”On a personal level, this music represents my struggle to understand, as Bill puts it, the artist who I truly am, the context in which I exist, and the strands of influence that form my identity. But this work also begs the audience to consider the unity or disunity of their American experience and to examine the strands that contribute to our collective identity, for as Ellison once pointed out, “the most agonizing mystery sponsored by the democratic ideal is that of our unity- in-diversity, our oneness in manyness. American culture is of a whole, for that which is essentially ‘American’ in [that] it springs from the synthesis of our diverse elements of cultural style.”~Program note by Pascal Le Boeuf<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Biographies</h3>Each artist on stage is a powerhouse in their field. The Akropolis Reed Quintet is “a sonically daring ensemble who specializes in performing new works with charisma and integrity” (BBC Music Magazine). Winner of seven national chamber music prizes including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal, Akropolis has premiered and commissioned over 150 works by living artists. Pascal Le Boeuf is a GRAMMY® Award-winning composer, pianist, and producer described as "sleek, new" and "hyper-fluent" by the New York Times. He is widely recognized for his polyrhythmic approach to chamber music and hybridization of disparate idioms. Christian Euman, one of Revive Magazine's "six drummers you should know about," brings a powerful sense of presence and sensitivity to the group. He has toured with Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Herbie Hancock, among others.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/AF_690_AE_8_0_DAB_4989_812_D_1_E749_DDC_9_E60_c64e726d7f.jpeg"></figure>

Akropolis Reed Quintet | Pascal Le Boeuf | Christian Euman

Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?

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Arcis Saxophone Quartet_2025-26_Biographies.pdf

Discover the Magic of Music The children will be introduced to our music, exploring the sounds of the saxophone in a way that sparks their curiosity.Meet Adolphe Sax We share the fascinating (and fun!) story of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, and how his creativity shaped the world of music.Hands-On Saxophone Experience In this interactive segment, the children get a chance to see how the saxophone works—and even try playing a few notes themselves!Make Music Together The grand finale is all about participation! The children join us in making music, whether by conducting or with some body percussion, creating an experience they’ll never forget. &nbsp;Arcis tailors the content on the spot, adjusting to the age group, space, and energy of the kids. This program is possible for children aged 6 to even up to 16-18, with a sweet spot for those between 10 and 14. 60 min session is optimal.&nbsp;

Educational Performance (K-12)

Arcis Saxophone Quartet—Photos for Public Download copy.zip

Arcis Saxophone Quartet

Step right into a musical fairground full of fantasy, glamour, and offbeat beauty. Luna Luna draws the audience into a shimmering world of glowing colors, eccentric moments, subtle melancholy, and irresistible energy. An evening suspended between dream and reality, poetry, wit, and dark enchantment.Featuring works by Philip Glass, Nino Rota, Jörg Widmann, Erik Satie, Peter Eisold, and others, the program unfolds in turns as hypnotic and floating, dance-like and light, sharply contoured, and full of motion. An immersive world of sound that captivates the audience and transforms the concert hall into a place of wonder for one evening.

Luna Luna

"The fugue is a play of light and shadow in which each voice has its own color and texture, but together a harmonious picture is created." - Pierre BoulezThe Arcis Saxophone Quartet presents a sounding kaleidoscope of preludes and fugues in their program JSB:48. Here, everything revolves around Bach’s&nbsp;Well-Tempered Clavier. We are recording all 48 fugues in a new version for saxophone quartet and have commissioned 48 composers from around the world to write one new prelude each. The result is a diverse and exciting collection, from which excerpts can be heard in this program, complemented by works that are all inspired by the&nbsp;Well-Tempered Clavier. You will hear works by Bach, Shostakovich, Kapustin and Brad Mehldau, among others, sometimes sensual, sometimes stirring, sometimes captivating, sometimes surprising. And always with the Arcis twist.

JSB:48

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What happens when two choreographers, one piece of music, and a spirit of creative play collide? Arcis Saxophone Quartet invites you to join the beauty and the hilarity of 2XDanced where collaboration transforms into performance art. The presenting organization partners with one local choreographer and dancers from their community, while Arcis bring with them the second choreographer, Roberta Pisu. Over the course of 10 days, the two choreographers create their own visions of the same score. When the curtain rises, two worlds unfold side by side in a celebration of difference, dialogue, and the unexpected.Their latest 2XDanced project, Blue-Bach, was premiered with contemporary dance collective, Tantzendenz, in Munich last December, 2025<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSpbiEkiLMA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Screenshot_2026_03_12_at_13_21_19_caaec2cf2a.png"></a><figcaption>WATCH: Excerpt | 2XDanced presents BLUE-BACH</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Repertoire SamplesEmma O'Halloran – Night MusicCaroline Shaw – Entr'acteJacobTV – Jesus is ComingLeonhard Kuhn – Morning MusicFor the presenter, in addition to engaging the choreographic and dance talents of your institution or community, there is also the opportunity to commission the 20-minute work of music from the composer of your choice.&nbsp;The ProcessEach receiving 5 days of devoted time, the two choreographers work independently with the two (or more) local dancers and the Arcis Saxophone Quartet to create one 20-minute choreography apiece, to the same piece of music. And the pressure is high because everyone has to abide by the rules of the game:<ol><li>The choreographers only have 5 days to create.</li><li>The music will only be delivered 5 days before the start of rehearsals.</li><li>The music is the same for both choreographies.</li><li>The musicians are part of the scene.</li><li>Props and costumes are only what you can find.</li></ol>&nbsp;The Performance (total time = 60 minutes without intermission)After 10 days, it's time to perform, no matter what! Both choreographies are performed one after the other so that the audience can experience how differently the creative brains of the choreographers tick. The audience will also witness the dancers and musicians themselves transform entirely as they inhabit the different choreographies. The artists involved host a conversation with the audience throughout, offering insights into the motives for the respective artistic decisions and inviting shared experience and reflection.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/flaviamash_photography_105von161_fbdee7701e.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;Interested? What you need to know…How long will the final performance last?With two choreographies each 20 minutes and a talk with the audience in between we aim for a total length of 60 minutes.&nbsp;What do we need for the creation process?We need a rehearsal space for 10 days, which is suited for dance practice. That‘s it!Which artists will be involved?The music part is covered by the Arcis Saxophone Quartet and the artistic direction is in the hands of Roberta Pisu, who will also contribute one of the two choreographies. This leaves us with one choreographer and at least two dancers missing. We are happy to cooperate with local artists of your institution or community. Let‘s discuss! Additionally parts of the music could be newly written by a composer of your choice.&nbsp;BiographiesArcis_CollectiveThe collective consists of choreographer Roberta Pisu and the Arcis Saxophone Quartet, who began their collaboration with the full-length production <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QAhkwSj1QU">HEIMAT</a>, which premiered on September 21, 2020 in the Philharmonie am Gasteig Munich. The goal of the collective is to transfer the idea of chamber music to contemporary dance: to create an intimate form of expression in a small ensemble in order to implement subtle and refined artistic ideas.&nbsp;A very important aspect is the joint creative process. The relationship between classical music and contemporary dance and the possibilities and interfaces that result from them should be explored more and more and thus a common statement brought to the stage. For this reason, the musicians are involved in the entire process and not just at the end of the creation process, as is usually the case. With their unique saxophone sound, the musicians, like the dancers, are part of the performance on stage.&nbsp;While Roberta Pisu and the Arcis Saxophone Quartet form the core of the collective, it is more than open to collaboration with any type of music, choreographic approach and any type of art form willing to share an intimate and stimulating creative process.<a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/arcis-saxophone-quartet#section-biography" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Arcis Saxophone Quartet</a>Roberta PisuRoberta Pisu received her dance training at the Académie de Danse Classique “Princesse Grace” in Monte Carlo and at the Accademia Nazionale di Danza in Rome. She was a member of the ensemble “La Compagnia” in Rome. She gained her first choreographic experience in 2010 as an assistant to Ismael Ivo, the artistic director of the Venice Biennale. Since 2013 she has been dancing in the ballet of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz Munich, where she also works as a choreographer (Momo, Minutemade, Je suis Faust, and others).

Arcis_Collective | Arcis Saxophone Quartet | Roberta Pisu

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2XDANCED

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JSB:48 is all about The Well-Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach. Spanning a ten year recording project by the Arcis Saxophone Quartet, the original Bach fugues in their version for saxophone quartet are complemented by newly composed preludes all inspired by The Well-Tempered Clavier. Beginning in 2020, the collection of 48 fugues and new preludes will gradually grow over the next ten years as a growing playlist (found on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1ljoYy83Rf277TQzBeMu8I?si=d47451c311f8456c">Spotify</a> &amp; <a href="https://music.apple.com/de/playlist/jsb-48-arcis-saxophon-quartett/pl.aa3c7dc426a74729a857cad402474333">Apple Music</a>).&nbsp;DIVERSITYWe believe there is so much more music to discover. Music that may not be so close to us at first, but is all the more exciting. We deliberately want to immerse ourselves in the most diverse worlds and take our listeners on this journey.GENREThe composers we commission come from a wide variety of genres. The basis will always be classical music, but we love diving into other worlds as well.GENDER RATIOFemale composers are still underrepresented. We do not want to accept that and make it very simple: 50% of our composition commissions go to female composers.CULTURESWe have divided the world into different earth culture parts. The new preludes are then distributed evenly among them. That challenges us and is a lot of fun when we are allowed to deal with music that works completely differently than, for example, classical Western music.&nbsp;Repertoire SampleCenterpiece:J.S. Bach paired with new works by contemporary composers – Selection of newly-composed preludes paired with fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier&nbsp;In addition, selections from:Nikolai Kapustin – 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 82&nbsp;Dmitri Shostakovich –&nbsp;Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87Leonhard Kuhn – Fugue &amp; Loops

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Philip Glass&nbsp;–&nbsp;Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra&nbsp;In celebration of Philip Glass' 90th Birthday in 2027, Arcis Saxophone Quartet is thrilled to offer Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra. The Philip Glass Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra has become a staple of saxophone quartets, and each of the four movements showcases the different timbres and tones of each saxophone.Arcis is constantly pushing the traditional boundaries and concepts of the saxophone as a classical music instrument. They commissioned British composer Luke Bedford to write a concerto for saxophone quartet and orchestra which received its premiere in 2017 by the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin at the Philharmonie Berlin.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img></figure>&nbsp;

Arcis with Orchestra: Philip Glass

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Danae Doerken_2026-27_Biographies.pdf

Danae offers a 45-60 minute school visit where she gives students an insight into the world of classical music. The engagement includes playing and speaking segments, where Danae presents some pieces, talks about the composers, the piano as an instrument and answers any questions that the students might have. She frequently runs this project at her festival, Molyvos International Music Festival, in Greece and also in Germany with the established "Rhapsody in School" project.

Music Key (K-12)

Danae offers open master classes to students of all levels. Danae will work one-on-one with students to focus on a piece of their choice.

Master Classes (Ages 12 and Up)

Danae Doerken—Photos for Public Download.zip

Danae Doerken

East and West embodies Danae Dörken’s feeling that our diversity is what ultimately brings us together and gives us enormous strength. All of the works in this program share the commonality of being heavily influenced by folk music traditions of different countries around the world. The folkloristic character of these compositions highlights the individual elements of each culture that render the pieces unique and underscore the necessity for them to be loved and remembered forever.Chopin’s Polonaise in C-sharp minor embeds the melancholy of the tunes of polish folk music, while Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances feature the unusual rhythms of the Transylvanian peasant polka. Schubert’s 12 Ländler reflect the melodies of alpine folk dances, while Danza ritual del fuego by de Falla is reminiscent of guitar performers that can be heard in village squares in Spain. Grieg’s inspiration for Wedding Day at Troldhaugen came from the mighty chords that characterise Norwegian folklore and Manolis Kalomiris’ compositions are influenced by Greek folk music. At first glance, the Huit Nocturnes by the French neoclassical composer Francis Poulenc might seem a little out of place, but while this composition is not directly influenced by folk music, the simplistic elegance of the Nocturnes render them ideal counterparts to the remaining pieces on the program.

East and West

Homer’s epos of Odysseus and his journey from Troy back home is a tale as old as time that stands for the greatness of human endurance, strength and ingenuity. The mindset of never giving up and overcoming all adversity and even godly obstacles is the basis of this mythical story, but its message is relatable to the most current of events.&nbsp;Turkish composer Fazil Say’s “Black Earth” (composed in 2007) is based on a famous Turkish song titled “Kara Toprak” and marks the beginning of this Odyssey, symbolizing the cycle of life and the fact that we are all equal. One of the most famous obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome on his journey are the Sirens, mythical creatures that, with their beautiful voices, lure sailors to their islands and subsequently to their doom. Claude Debussy brought these creatures to life in his Nocturne “Sirènes”, the last of 3 Nocturnes composed between 1892-1899. Originally written for orchestra, today’s arrangement for piano solo was made by Gustave Samazeuilh. The “Waltz of Lost Dreams” by Manos Hatzidakis (composed in 1983) is a famous Greek song that awakes feelings of hopefulness amidst difficult circumstances. The final work of the program is Felix Mendelssohn’s Fantasy op. 28 (composed in 1834), also titled “Scottish Sonata”. The piece was strongly influenced by his travels through Scotland and, once again, depicts how we are transformed through internal and external journeys. Let us all embark on this Odyssey together and, in pursuit of Ithaca, cherish every moment - easy and difficult - in order to realize that the journey itself&nbsp;is&nbsp;the destination.

Odyssey

This program combines works that were inspired by sounds and melodies the composers heard as well as images the composers saw. Schumann’s Forest Scenes are short musical depictions of nine settings he experienced when walking through the forest, while Schubert’s Fantasy Op. 15 is based on his own famous song “Der Wanderer” that speaks about trying to find happiness. Claude Debussy’s impressionist music is an accurate description of three images through sound, while Bartòk’s Romanian Folk Dances were influenced by folk tunes that he heard on the street. The program ends with two famous works by Liszt, his Love Dream No. 3 and his Rigoletto-Paraphrase, which is composed around four different melodies that stand for four different characters from his own opera “Rigoletto” that sing together in harmonious unity.

Songs and Images

This program is a celebration of my Greek heritage and explores the world of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, who is not only an important musical figure, but rather a true hero of the people, who fought for freedom above all and endured great hardships while doing so. His songs reflect exactly that sentiment and remind us why freedom is such a fundamental value that is worth fighting for, while Say’s “Black Earth” and Liszt’s “Rigoletto paraphrase”, like the songs, very similarly tell moving stories through music within their own very different harmonic world.

HELIKON

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Mikis Theodorakis – Helikon Concerto for Piano and Orchestra&nbsp;Greek-German pianist Danae Doerken is delighted to present Theodorakis’s Helikon Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, a compelling early work that, though remaining partially unfinished, captivates with its bold synthesis of classical, folk, and modern musical languages. The concerto vividly evokes the resilience, struggles, and enduring spirit of the Greek people, offering audiences a rare and powerful glimpse into Theodorakis’s creative vision. The work can be performed as a standalone piece, allowing its distinctive character to shine, or paired with another concerto such as Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 or No. 2 or Bach’s Piano Concerto in D minor to highlight striking contrasts in style, emotion, and historical context. Through this performance, Doerken brings both depth and dynamism to a work that bridges tradition and innovation, providing a unique listening experience for orchestras and audiences alike.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/IMG_8607_aa12cfe7ad.jpeg"></figure>&nbsp;

piano

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Duo Doerken

BLACK &amp; WHITE explores the theme of contrast through different musical works. Debussy’s "En blanc et Noir" alternates between delicate lightness and heavier, darker textures. Glass’s minimalist patterns create a sense of movement through repetition and subtle variation, while Lutosławski’s variations contrast the familiar Paganini theme with radical, often jarring changes. Finally, Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances balance expansive lyrical passages with more dramatic, rhythmic energy and bring all the orchestral colors out with two pianos

BLACK & WHITE

Apollo, the God standing for music, poetry, order and logic and Dionysus, the God standing for chaos, wine and excess are polar opposites. They both guard the oracle of Delphi and in Greek mythology we are taught that, in order to make a balanced decision, it is important to always ask both these Gods for advice. In this program for one piano, four hands, we want to explore the world of these two intriguing figures and in the end, come to the realization that we all carry parts of both Apollo and Dionysus inside of us.

Apollo & Dionysus

piano duo

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Erinys Quartet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Erinys Quartet

Haydn, Schulhoff & Beethoven

Mozart, Beecher & Schubert

string quartet

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Pascal Le Boeuf_2025-26_Biographies.pdf

Pre-Concert Talks Informative, accessible discussions offering insights into programmed, performed, or newly commissioned works, including background, inspiration, and compositional techniques.Jazz Piano Pop-Ups &amp; Special Events Intimate solo jazz performances tailored to donor events, preview nights, or community celebrations—perfect for enhancing fundraising and engagement efforts.Open Rehearsals with Composer Feedback Opportunities for audiences to attend rehearsals and witness the creative process. Includes real-time feedback on performances of the artist’s work and interactive Q&amp;A with musicians and audience members.Panel Discussions Thoughtful and engaging conversations moderated or joined by Pascal, exploring topics such as the role of technology in music, genre-crossing practices, innovation in composition, or the future of jazz and classical music. Ideal for festivals, academic institutions, or community forums.

Offerings focus on music composition, improvisation (jazz and classical), rhythm, music technology, and professional development for emerging artists.Lectures &amp; Workshops:<ul><li>Composing with Identity and Narrative</li><li>Advanced Rhythmic Concepts in Jazz and Contemporary Music</li><li>Odd Time Signatures and Metric Modulations</li><li>Music Production for the Contemporary Composer/Performer</li><li>Intersections of Jazz and Classical Composition</li></ul>Master Classes One-on-one or group coaching for composers, jazz pianists, improvisers, and music technologists. Can be tailored to existing curriculum or repertoire.Career Development Sessions Candid conversations about sustaining a creative career, including grant writing, self-producing recordings, web content creation, and building an interdisciplinary artistic identity.1:1 Mentoring and Coaching Personalized feedback sessions for students pursuing classical composition, jazz, or hybrid practices.Collaborative Performances Pascal is available for collaborative performances with student ensembles, faculty, or fellow guest artists—particularly in newly composed or improvisatory settings.

College & University Level

Elementary Level: Fast-paced interactive concerts that introduce musical instruments and jazz improvisation through audience participation. Activities include identifying musical themes, clapping rhythms, or even joining performers on stage.Middle &amp; High School: Engaging sessions for music and arts students that emphasize creativity, listening, and collaboration. Flexible to support general assemblies, classroom visits, or ensemble rehearsals.

K–12 School Programs

Pascal Le Boeuf leads a joyful and interactive introduction to music through storytelling, books, and improvisation. Children explore rhythm, melody, and creativity through call-and-response, movement, and sing-alongs. Stories may include:<ul><li>Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop</li><li>When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat</li><li>Mama Don’t Allow</li></ul>

Pre-K (Ages 3+) – Musical Story Hour

Pascal Le Boeuf—Photos for Public Download.zip

Pascal Le Boeuf

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Hailed as “sleek, new” and “hyper-fluent” by The New York Times, GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist/composer Pascal Le Boeuf continues to blaze a trail of forward-thinking creativity with his latest project Ritual Being. In realizing bold, hybrid forms of new music and jazz, Le Boeuf surrounds himself with like-minded players of the highest order, including violinist Sara Caswell, cellist Nick Photinos, and drummer Christian Euman to build a program of extraordinary rhythmic urgency, contrapuntal density and breathtaking imagination.&nbsp;Ritual Being draws its distinctive sound from the artistic voices of its members. Violinist and GRAMMY® Nominee Sara Caswell is celebrated for her lyricism and technical facility, praised by the late violin maestro Franco Gulli as possessing “a remarkable understanding of different musical styles and an uncommon power of communication.” Four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning cellist Nick Photinos is among the innovative and multifaceted cellists whose “virtuoso cello playing is scintillating” (Chicago Classical Review). He is an ardent advocate of new music as evidenced by 24 years as the founding cellist and co-Artistic Director of Eighth Blackbird, and by his long list of collaborators which include Björk, Philip Glass, and Sheila Jordan among others. Pascal Le Boeuf is a GRAMMY® Award-winning composer/pianist and Guggenheim Fellow. He is widely recognized for his polyrhythmic approach to chamber music and hybridization of disparate idioms. Christian Euman, one of Revive Magazine's "six drummers you should know about," brings a powerful sense of presence and sensitivity to the group. He has toured with Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Herbie Hancock, among others.&nbsp;Their latest release, Ritual Being, is about the effects of mankind’s behaviors on the planet and each other and has been described as “an album of spine-tingling chamber pieces” (All Music), “gorgeous” (Mercury News), and “experimental” (Downbeat Magazine). Le Boeuf explains, “I’ve always been interested in patterns of human behavior, especially their impact on the environment and society. Some are beautiful, some are not. Some are sustainable, some are destructive. The behavioral tendencies of our species are habits which we’re predisposed to exhibit without conscious effort, but when we intentionally choose our habits and repeat them to serve a goal, they become rituals.” Together, Ritual Being forms a collaborative ensemble defined by bold experimentation, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to expanding the boundaries of contemporary music.&nbsp;<h3>Concert Repertoire:</h3><ul><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Wanderlust" (from "Ritual Being")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Obliquely Wrecked" (from "Ritual Being")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Transition Behavior"&nbsp;(from "Ritual Being")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Calgary Clouds"</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Alpha"</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Variations on a Mood"</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Dedications" (from "Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Ambassadors" (from "Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Walk Downs" 4'&nbsp;(from "HUSH")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Soot" 4'&nbsp;(from "HUSH")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Wedding Planning" 7'&nbsp;(from "HUSH")</li><li>Pascal Le Boeuf – "Monk Circles" 4'&nbsp;(from "HUSH")</li><li>Dave Brubeck arr. Le Boeuf – "Blue Rondo A La Turk"</li><li>Leonard Bernstein&nbsp;arr. Le Boeuf – "Somewhere"</li><li>Meredith Monk&nbsp;arr. Le Boeuf – "Passage"</li><li>Geri Allen arr. Le Boeuf – “RTG” (full septet)</li><li>Radiohead arr. Le Boeuf – Medley: "Knives Out," "Paranoid Android," "Exit Music" 12' (additional selections upon request)</li><li>Various Jazz Standards arr. Le Boeuf (upon request)</li></ul>

Pascal Le Boeuf | Sara Caswell | Nick Photinos | Christian Euman

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Ritual Being

composer, jazz pianist, producer

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Palaver Strings_2025-26_Biographies.pdf

What exactly is “classical” music? Join Palaver Strings for an engaging presentation exploring string music by Bach, Mozart, and Haydn, as well as groundbreaking voices of the modern age. This 45-minute workshop introduces the sounds of the string instrument family (violin, viola, cello, and bass), as well as the diverse voices, eras, and styles under the classical umbrella, with an emphasis on music by women and composers of color. This presentation is designed for grades K-8, with no prior musical experience required.

Outside The Bachs (Grades K-8)

Designed for school orchestra students, this workshop puts Palaver Strings musicians side by side with students, introducing the fundamentals of chamber music and conductorless ensemble playing. We also introduce the concept of improvisation and spontaneity as tools for creative musical expression. This 60-minute workshop is designed for grades 4-12, with some prior string instrument study required. Repertoire will be chosen in consultation with the school’s orchestra director/string teacher and tailored to the age and experience of the students.&nbsp;

SideXSide (Grades 4-12)

Hear the classic story of Ferdinand the Bull with a full string orchestra and narrator! With music by Alan Ridout and text by Munro Leaf, Ferdinand the Bull tells the story of a young bull who feels different from others, and eventually learns to accept himself for who he truly is. This 10-15 minute performance is designed for students age 5-10, with no prior music experience required. Palaver Strings or the host organization may provide a narrator.

Ferdinand The Bull (Ages 5-10)

Join Palaver Strings for an engaging and hands-on experience that empowers students to unleash their creativity! Guided by experienced musicians, participants will explore music through interactive activities such as instrument-making and painting to live music.&nbsp; This multi-sensory approach encourages students to explore and experiment freely. These 45-60 minute workshops can be customized according to age group, with no prior musical experience required. Additional costs for materials may apply, depending on the activities involved.

Touching Sound

Music and emotion are inextricably linked; music evokes a wide range of emotions in listeners, from happiness to sadness to excitement to calm. Join Palaver Strings in an interactive concert of music and emotion through active listening, musical expression, movement, and mindfulness.This 45-minute presentation is designed for students ages 5-9. No prior musical experience is required.

Harmony of the Heart (Ages 5-9)

Creative collaboration brings together people from different backgrounds, skills, and experiences. This 60-minute workshop/performance features Palaver Strings and collaborating artists, and includes a short performance and discussion of musical style, cultural values, power dynamics, and strategies for equitable collaboration across cultures, genres, and artistic disciplines. Examples of collaborating artists include Kinan Azmeh (clarinet/composer/improviser), Heather Stewart (modern dance), Chris Pattishall (jazz pianist), and Lauren Stevens (traditional Wabanaki song). This presentation is designed for students age 8 and up, with no prior musical experience required. Note that this workshop is dependent on the availability of collaborators, must be booked at least one year in advance, and that additional costs for guest artists may apply. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Come Together: Palaver and Friends (Ages 8+)

Palaver Strings–Photos for Public Download.zip

Palaver Strings

Sinfonia Fantastica addresses themes of gender, power, fear, and desire through the medium of chamber music. Sinfonica Fantastica, a world premiere by Palaver’s own Teagan Farran, is a response to Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, retold from the perspective of the pursued woman. It draws on themes from the original Berlioz as well as Farran’s deep knowledge of tango idioms, relating them to Paris’s role in globalizing and exoticizing tangoian tastes during Berlioz’s time. Sinfonica Fantastica turns the Romantic fascination with the exotic and the masculine hero on its head. Our program continues with Nina Shekhar’s Above the Fray, which takes Bach’s famous cello prelude and transforms, degrades, and reshapes it. Llyllyth’s Canary Resuscitator is an ambient chorale-like piece that refers to the use of canaries in coal mines to warn of gas leaks. She compares the canary to the US trans population, especially around issues of healthcare and wellness, and her piece is intended both as a response to and a respite from the political turmoil surrounding trans rights.

Sinfonia Fantastica

Dancing Home explores themes of heritage, belonging, displacement, and resilience through the lens of dance. At the heart of this program is the world premiere of ḥawwāsh by Kareem Roustom. Inspired by the ḥawwāsh, or lead dancer of a traditional dabke dance, this piece allows any musician to lead the ensemble at any given moment, sharing fluid leadership through physical and sonic cues. This program also features Palaver’s arrangement of Bartok’s Romanian Dances, original tunes by Maya French and Jamie Oshima, and Kinan Azmeh’s Syrian Dances, commissioned by Palaver in 2022. Dancing Home celebrates social dance as a meeting place for tradition and innovation, and a vehicle for building resilience, joy, and trust.

Dancing Home

Featuring acclaimed jazz vocalist Vuyo Sotashe and Grammy-nominated pianist Chris Patishall, Songbook celebrates the rich musical heritage of Sotashe’s home country, South Africa. The program includes traditional folk songs in Zulu, Sepedi, and Xhosa, choral works by Michael Moreane and Bheki Mseleku, a new string orchestra arrangement of Bongani Ndodana-Breen’s Apologia at Uzimvubu, and originals by Vuyo Sotashe, all presented in fresh arrangements for voice, piano, and strings by Chris Patishall. Songbook explores connections between American jazz, South African traditional music, and European classical music, moving fluidly between traditions in a spirit of exploration and joy.

Songbook with Vuyo Sotashe & Chris Pattishall

Serenades explores the serenade through a broad lens, across genres, eras, and styles in a changing world. At its heart is Josef Suk’s Serenade for Strings. We juxtapose this Romantic classic with Carlos Simon’s Between Worlds, a meditative work inspired by visual artist Bill Traylor, whose life and work spanned the end of slavery through the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. In our arrangement, different string parts “serenade” one another antiphonally across the ensemble. Ravel’s Troi Chansons, written at the outbreak of World War I, reflects on loss of life, innocence, and continuity in a changing world. Our arrangement of Laurie Anderson’s O Superman, fused with the third movement of Bach’s A Minor Violin Sonata, explores human relationships with machines and with one another. The program concludes with modern-day “moonlit serenades” by Glen Miller and Laura Mvula. Serenades is a musical call for a new and brighter world.

Serenade

Port City explores tango music throughout the genre’s history, and features bandoneon visionary Heyni Solera as soloists and composers. Palaver will perform danceable classics alongside contemporary tango-inspired compositions. We will also welcome powerhouse dancers Phi Lee Lam and Carla Marano to join us for a full tanda, or series of tango dances. This performance will celebrate tango’s ongoing evolution and the powerful interplay between music and dance.

Port City ft. Heyni Solera

Featuring Grammy award-winning tenor Nicholas Phan, this program explores our country’s rich legacy of protest songs. Repertoire includes traditional songs of protest and music inspired by social movements and historical events, including Nico Muhly’s Stranger, Akenya Seymour’s Fear the Lamb, and a new commission by Errollyn Wallen. Spanning genres, eras, and movements, A Change Is Gonna Come provokes conversation, confronts our past and present, and celebrates the act of protest as one of our most precious rights.

A Change is Gonna Come

This program explores the African-American experience in classical music, through the eyes of Black composers. It begins with the “blues” movement of Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 2, arranged for string orchestra and solo violin, and continues with our arrangement of Julia Perry’s Prelude for Piano, a nuanced, neoclassic gem full of anticipation and reflection. At the heart of the program is Clarence White’s Bandana Sketches, a four-movement arrangement of Negro Spirituals. We conclude with the lush romantic string writing of Adolphus Hailstork and William Grant Still, linked by themes of spirituality, meditation, and familial bonds. The Apple of their Eyes encapsulates the beauty and resilience of the African-American experience, and celebrates the richness and depth of Black classical music.

The Apple of their Eyes

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A 2025 Grammy nominee, A Change Is Gonna Come&nbsp;provokes conversation, confronts the past and present, and celebrates the act of protest as one of humanity’s most precious rights.&nbsp;Featuring Palaver Strings, Grammy-nominated tenor Nicholas Phan, and jazz vocalist Farayi Malek,&nbsp;A Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;explores our country’s rich legacy of protest songs. Repertoire includes traditional songs of protest and music inspired by social movements and historical events, including Nico Muhly’s Stranger, Akenya Seymour’s Fear the Lamb, and the premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s Protest Songs. Read more about the album <a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/palaver-strings-announce-3rd-album:-'a-change-is-gonna-come'" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>About the Lifesongs Project</h3>To celebrate the album's release, Palaver Strings and Nicholas Phan have launched a 3-day residency project and performance that explores collaborative music-making, storytelling, and protest through song by involving local community members in writing their own stories with Palaver's Lifesongs Project.&nbsp;This 3-day residency will explore the expressive potential of collaborative music-making, storytelling, and protest through song, and how themes of hope and justice can connect us with each other. The project will centre around Grammy-nominated album A Change is Gonna Come&nbsp; while working closely with local&nbsp;community members to write their own stories through the lens of Palaver's Lifesongs Project. Presenters can choose which community, and which members within that community, would benefit most from participating in the Lifesongs songwriting workshop.&nbsp; Examples of communities could include: an LGBTQ group, an Osher lifelong learning group, an Alateen group, a group of inmates pursuing higher education degrees, etc.&nbsp;After a day of songwriting followed by a day of revision/demoing, Palaver and the community songwriters will offer a culminating public performance of the songs, as well as the process-sharing discussion.Day 1:&nbsp;Lifesongs songwriting workshop. Palaver musicians will work with 3-5 members of the community of your choice to write songs about their life stories or issues that are important to them.Day 2:&nbsp; Lifesongs songwriting revision session and creation of take-home demo recordings. Palaver musicians and participating community members will finish the songs and record demo recordings for the community member's&nbsp;personal use.Day 3:&nbsp;Lifesongs live performance and process-sharing session with public audience, followed by a culminating&nbsp;Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;performance by Palaver Strings and Nicholas Phan&nbsp;<h3>A Change is Gonna Come</h3>Repertoire on the album&nbsp;includes traditional songs of protest and music inspired by social movements and historical events, including a new commission by Errollyn Wallen titled&nbsp;Protest Songs, sung by Phan. Eight of the thirteen tracks on the album are heard in arrangements by Attacca Quartet’s Domenic Salerni.The centerpiece of A Change Is Gonna Come is the world premiere recording of Errollyn Wallen’s “Protest Songs”, commissioned for this project in 2021. An award-winning, Belize-born British composer and performer, Wallen herself wrote the text for the first movement, setting the second to a text by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, an abolitionist and one of the first Black poets published in the United States.The album has been nominated for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album for the 67th Grammy Awards.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Palaver_Strings_Album_Cover_3000x3000px_300dpi_V05_020424_bbfbf0718e.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;<h3 style="margin-left:0px;">“It has been the greatest privilege to compose for Nicholas Phan and Palaver Strings. I am delighted that my new work,&nbsp;Protest Songs, is included on this important album.”</h3><h3>– Errollyn Wallen</h3>&nbsp;<h3>Repertoire</h3>Nico Muhly – Stranger Roberta Slavitt, Alfred Hayes, Malvina Reynolds, arr. Domenic Salerni – Freedom is a Constant Struggle/I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill/It Isn't Nice Harry Burleigh/ Langston Hughes, arr. Ian Gottlieb – Lovely, Dark and Lonely One Abel Meeropol/Billie Holiday, arr. Jonathan Bingham – Strange Fruit Akenya Seymour – Fear the Lamb Bob Dylan, arr. Domenic Salerni – Blowin’ in the Wind Joni Mitchell, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, arr. Domenic Salerni – Fiddle and the Drum/Where Have all the Flowers Gone/What Are You Fighting For? Errollyn Wallen – Protest Songs (Project Commission) Sam Cooke, arr. Domenic Salerni – A Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;

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