Palaver Strings_2024-25_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

medium_Screen Shot 2023-07-14 at 2.10.36 PM.png

small_Screen Shot 2023-07-14 at 2.10.36 PM.png

thumbnail_Screen Shot 2023-07-14 at 2.10.36 PM.png

Screen Shot 2023-07-14 at 2.10.36 PM.png

<h2 style="text-align:center;">&nbsp;</h2><h2 style="text-align:center;">Join us in officially&nbsp;welcoming Palaver Strings&nbsp;to the Ariel Artists family!</h2><hr>We are thrilled&nbsp;to represent Palaver's forward-thinking&nbsp;artistry and&nbsp;voice in the performing arts landscape. Explore our preview to learn more about Palaver Strings and their dynamic&nbsp;lineup of programs and projects for the 2024-25 season.&nbsp;<h3>Who Are They?</h3><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/palaver-strings">Palaver Strings</a> is a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Founded in 2014, Palaver has established itself as a forward-thinking ensemble whose mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. In our musician-led model, Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/palaver-strings" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Palaver_May2023_087_1fcfb1b832.jpg"></a></figure>&nbsp;Each year, Palaver presents a full series of live performances featuring diverse musical programming, cross-genre projects, and community collaborations. Equally committed to education, Palaver offers quality music instruction through the <a href="https://www.palaverstrings.org/about-pmc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Palaver Music Center</a> in Portland, serving hundreds of students each year. Palaver has toured widely throughout the United States, performing at the Kennedy Center and a celebration of the Lullaby Project at Carnegie Hall. The ensemble recently released its third album, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/6gBlfDrXDHx8SoMiFYqzd8?si=TLJW-xmgR6O2iBeBhfthQw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ready or Not</a>, in partnership with Azica Records. Palaver has enjoyed residencies at Rockport Music, Boston Center for the Arts, Bay Chamber Concerts, and Longy School of Music (2022-2023). Palaver’s current residency at Longy includes regular performances and teaching a graduate course on music and community engagement.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLXexoPbpWz5O6uorZgm3ynVLxAm-5CxHs&amp;v=gkjW4CmSOeU&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arielartists.com%2F&amp;embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arielartists.com&amp;source_ve_path=NzAzNDQsMjM4NTE&amp;feature=emb_title" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Palaver_May2023_030_adbb28d59a.jpg"></a><figcaption><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLXexoPbpWz5O6uorZgm3ynVLxAm-5CxHs&amp;v=gkjW4CmSOeU&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arielartists.com%2F&amp;embeds_referring_origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arielartists.com&amp;source_ve_path=NzAzNDQsMjM4NTE&amp;feature=emb_title" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Watch the Palaver Strings Trailer!</a></figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<h3>“palaver”</h3>“Palaver” comes from the term “palaver hut,” a traditional setting for discussion and conflict resolution found in Liberia and other West African countries. In our early days as an ensemble, we gave benefit concerts for the Liberian Education Fund, an organization co-founded by our Managing Director Maya French, and were inspired by the concept of the palaver hut, as we seek to come to creative agreement when we make music. This concept has remained central to our vision as we expand our outlook to other social causes.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/palaver-strings#section-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://mcusercontent.com/2cf7a44ee169236786b861340/images/55b84166-2d5a-9e0e-3e0c-d619deaabf64.png" alt=""></a><figcaption><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/palaver-strings#section-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Explore the Palaver Strings 2024-2025 Program Offerings</a></figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3><a href="https://mailchi.mp/arielartists.com/palaver-new-artist-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Click here to preview the official mailing for more information on Palaver Strings!</a></h3>&nbsp;For more information on Palaver Strings and their 2024-2025 availability, please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:matthew@arielartists.com?subject=Palaver%20Strings%20Booking%20Inquiry">Matthew Kulas</a>.&nbsp;

large_Palaver_May2023_027_.jpg

medium_Palaver_May2023_027_.jpg

small_Palaver_May2023_027_.jpg

thumbnail_Palaver_May2023_027_.jpg

Palaver_May2023_027_.jpg

Palaver Strings Joins Ariel Artists Roster

<h2>Co-Commission a New Triple Concerto</h2>A worldwide celebration is on the horizon! The <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/delphi-trio/">Delphi Trio</a> seeks co-commissioners for&nbsp;a new triple concerto for violin, cello, and piano by Clarice Assad that celebrates the rebirth of cultural life, of connection, of community.&nbsp;It is&nbsp;a&nbsp;21st-century female response to Beethoven's popular Triple Concerto of 1803. The piece will be designed to work either standing alone or as a companion piece to the Beethoven and will have the same instrumentation:&nbsp;soloists plus one flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings,&nbsp;plus potentially one extra musician.<h3>Join the Commissioning Consortium</h3>The commissioning consortium is led by the San José Chamber Orchestra (SJCO)&nbsp;and Maestra Barbara Day Turner; each co-commissioner is asked to contribute $5,000 toward the composer’s fee and copying costs.&nbsp;The SJCO will give the world premiere of the work on Sunday, March 20, 2022. The work is proprietary in performance to co-commissioners and the Delphi Trio for spring 2022 and fall 2023. Please <a href="mailto:matthew@arielartists.com?subject=Delphi%20Trio%E2%80%94Clarice%20Assad%20Commission">email</a> Matthew Kulas to inquire about co-commissioning the Assad Triple Concerto.<figure class="image"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Assad_Clarice_Photo_by_Cynthia_Van_Elk_2_1_1024x681_25e62feab3.jpg"></figure><h3>About Clarice Assad</h3>A powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres, renowned for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range. A prolific Grammy-nominated composer, with over 70 works to her credit, her work has been commissioned by internationally renowned organizations, festivals, and artists, and are published in France (Editions Lemoine), Germany (Trekel), Criadores do Brasil (Brazil), and in the US by Virtual Artists Collective Publishing. Ms. Assad has released seven solo albums and appeared on or had her works performed on another 30. Her music is represented on Cedille Records, SONY Masterworks, Nonesuch, Adventure Music, Edge, Telarc, NSS Music, GHA, and CHANDOS. As an innovator, her award-winning Voxploration Series on music education, creation, songwriting, and improvisation has been presented throughout the United States, Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East. With her talents sought-after by artists and organizations worldwide, the multi-talented musician continues to attract new audiences both onstage and off.<h3>About the Delphi Trio</h3>The <a href="https://www.delphitrio.com">Delphi Trio</a> is recognized for commanding, compelling performances that draw audiences into their musical world. The Trio prioritizes unity, artistry, vulnerability, and musical risk-taking, creating performances that are infused with spontaneity, humor, and joy. Founded on the principles of community, connection, and artistry, Delphi believe firmly in art’s ability to make a difference in the world and are committed to using their musical platform to bring people together, regardless of background or beliefs. Comprised of three strong women, Delphi Trio works to highlight the presentation of works by female composers alongside the classic piano trio repertoire. Violinist Liana Bérubé, cellist Tanya Tomkins, and pianist Allegra Chapman are based in the San Francisco Bay Area.To inquire about joining the commissioning consortium&nbsp;or to learn more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/delphi-trio/">Delphi Trio</a>, please email Artist Representative, <a href="mailto:matthew@arielartists.com?subject=Delphi%20Trio%E2%80%94Clarice%20Assad%20Commission">Matthew Kulas</a>.

large_DelphiAssad_wide.jpg

medium_DelphiAssad_wide.jpg

small_DelphiAssad_wide.jpg

thumbnail_DelphiAssad_wide.jpg

DelphiAssad_wide.jpg

Worldwide celebration is on the horizon! The Delphi Trio is pleased to invite co-commissioners&nbsp;to join in creating a new triple concerto for violin, cello, and piano by Clarice Assad celebrating the return of cultural life and connection. The piece will be designed to work either standing alone or as a companion piece to the Beethoven&nbsp;Triple Concerto - a 21st century female response to the famous party piece of 1803.&nbsp;Instrumentation will be the same as in the Beethoven (three soloists plus one flute, two oboes, two&nbsp;clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings) plus one percussionist.Tentatively titled "The Tale of Mélusine", the new work will follow the medieval French legend of a half-fairy woman betrayed by her mortal husband. The Concerto is 23-25 minutes in length and is performed without breaks between movements.The concerto will be premiered in March, 2022 and will be proprietary in&nbsp;performance to Delphi Trio for one year following the premiere; it will be proprietary in recording&nbsp;to Delphi Trio for two years following the premiere. The commissioning consortium is led by the&nbsp;San José Chamber Orchestra and Maestra Barbara Day Turner; each co-commissioner will&nbsp;contribute $5,000 USD toward the composer’s fee and copying costs.&nbsp;About Clarice AssadA powerful communicator renowned for her musical scope and versatility, Brazilian-American Clarice Assad is a significant artistic voice in the classical, world music, pop, and jazz genres, renowned for her evocative colors, rich textures, and diverse stylistic range. A prolific Grammy-nominated composer, with over 70 works to her credit, her work has been commissioned by internationally renowned organizations, festivals, and artists, and are published in France (Editions Lemoine), Germany (Trekel), Criadores do Brasil (Brazil), and in the US by Virtual Artists Collective Publishing. Ms. Assad has released seven solo albums and appeared on or had her works performed on another 30. Her music is represented on Cedille Records, SONY Masterworks, Nonesuch, Adventure Music, Edge, Telarc, NSS Music, GHA, and CHANDOS. As an innovator, her award-winning Voxploration Series on music education, creation, songwriting, and improvisation has been presented throughout the United States, Brazil, Europe, and the Middle East. With her talents sought-after by artists and organizations worldwide, the multi-talented musician continues to attract new audiences both onstage and off.

Delphi Trio

Clarice Assad Triple Concerto

thumbnail__C5A1534 HR (Credit—Kevin Fryer).jpg

_C5A1534 HR (Credit—Kevin Fryer).jpg

Delphi Trio to Commission Clarice Assad Triple Concerto

Tesla Quartet_2023-24_Biographies.pdf

A passion for education has been a cornerstone of the Tesla Quartet's mission since the group started in 2008. The Tesla Quartet offers a variety of programs for students and community members of all ages that are designed to inspire a love for music and a deeper understanding of the great works in the repertoire.For more information, visit <a href="https://www.teslaquartet.com/education.">https://www.teslaquartet.com/education.</a>&nbsp;

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLThe Tesla Quartet's 40-minute presentation for grades K-5 focuses on an introduction to string instruments and the fundamentals of making music as a group. Depending on the size and age of the audience, our program may include the following topics:<ul><li>An introduction to the instruments: "Show and Tell"</li><li>Music as a type of “language”</li><li>“Let's make a musical sandwich!”</li><li>Music and Color</li></ul>&nbsp;MIDDLE SCHOOLThe Tesla Quartet can work with your school's string students in a number of fashions, including:<ul><li>Coaching a string ensemble</li><li>Giving individual lessons</li><li>Sitting in with the orchestra in rehearsal or in concert</li><li>Performing a string quartet for the class and discussing the history of the music and our mindset as performers</li></ul>&nbsp;HIGH SCHOOLString Ensemble CoachingMore advanced string students can benefit greatly from the Tesla Quartet's guidance on stage or in the classroom. Quartet members can work with string students in:<ul><li>Chamber music coaching</li><li>Orchestra coaching</li><li>Sectional coaching</li><li>How to fit practicing into your busy schedule</li></ul>College Audition PreparationFor students who are seriously considering studying music in college, the Tesla Quartet can facilitate discussions on topics such as:<ul><li>How to choose a school</li><li>How to find a teacher who is the right match</li><li>How to prepare for an audition</li><li>What to expect from a serious musical education</li></ul>School-wide Assembly: Music in ContextThe Tesla Quartet also offers programs that are part performance, part discussion, featuring a complete work for string quartet. Past presentations have featured works by Shostakovich, Janáček, and Kevin Puts, with a focus on the historical, literary, or social context.Year-long ResidencyThe Tesla Quartet can plan three-day visits in the fall and spring semesters where they work with students on pre-selected repertoire, culminating in a performance with the Tesla Quartet joining the student ensemble.

K-12 Programs

CURATION &amp; COLLABORATIONRecital SeriesThe Tesla Quartet will present a specially curated series of concerts over the course of a week, semester, or year, focusing on a specific composer or musical theme. Examples could include:<ul><li>The complete Bartók quartets</li><li>The complete Opus 20 quartets of Joseph Haydn</li><li>Compositional trends in the 21st Century</li><li>"Late Style" in composition</li></ul>Lecture RecitalFor a more intimate and in-depth exploration of a single piece of music, the Tesla Quartet will discuss the history, analysis, and their unique interpretation of a work from its repertoire. The audience will be invited to join in the discussion with questions.Faculty &amp; Student CollaborationWith enough lead time to rehearse, the Tesla Quartet will expand its forces to collaborate with students faculty in&nbsp;larger works of chamber music that could appear on the quartet's full recital.<h2 style="margin-left:0px;">&nbsp;</h2>CHAMBER MUSICMaster ClassesStudent chamber music groups are invited to present a single movement or complete work in public performance and receive feedback from members of the Tesla Quartet. Topics the Tesla Quartet likes to focus on include conveying the character of the music, historical approaches to style, and how to be open and engaged with your partners.Ensemble CoachingFor residencies of more substantial length, members of the Tesla Quartet can provide multiple coachings to chamber music groups that are able to rehearse frequently and incorporate coaching ideas into their development, whether it is over the course of a week or a semester.Discussion on the Art of Ensemble PlayingWhile music students are often taught to focus on the technical aspects of their individual playing, a solid instrumental foundation is not enough to achieve success as an ensemble. The Tesla Quartet will lead a discussion with students and faculty about what it means to play chamber music, how to give and receive criticism, and address ideas such as openness, awareness, and empathy.&nbsp;COMPOSITIONStudent Composition WorkshopsThe Tesla Quartet is committed to fostering the growth of young composers. The quartet can host reading sessions for students' string compositions and provide feedback in areas of technique, balance, notation, and score preparation.Performance &amp; RecordingWith enough lead time, the Tesla Quartet will prepare a selection of student compositions for performance, with the option to produce a live recording of the performance. If the school is equipped with the appropriate space and equipment, the Tesla Quartet can also record selected student works in a studio-like session.&nbsp;ORCHESTRAOrchestra Coaching &amp; Side-By-Side PerformanceMembers of the Tesla Quartet have a wealth of orchestral experience as performers from full size groups like the Cleveland Orchestra to small, self-conducted chamber orchestras like A Far Cry and The Knights. The quartet can provide coaching for string sections and even sit in with the orchestra for rehearsals or performances.Self-Conducted Chamber OrchestraThe Tesla Quartet believes that the principles of chamber music can apply to any ensemble, no matter its size. For a residency of significant length, the quartet can lead a self-conducted chamber orchestra of advanced students, with regular rehearsals leading to a performance.Audition PreparationCompetitions and orchestral auditions can play a big part in the careers of young performers, and there is an art to successfully navigating the rigorous demands of these performances. Through coachings or master classes, the Tesla Quartet can provide feedback on orchestral excerpts and guidance on choosing repertoire,&nbsp;practice routines, and how to manage audition day.&nbsp;CAREERSEntrepreneurship WorkshopsWith such a varied professional landscape ahead of them, many music students wonder how they will carve out their career path after graduation. Whether through round table discussions or workshops, the Tesla Quartet can address topics like grant writing, ensemble management, artistic vision and planning, fundraising, social media and engaging with your community.

University Programs

<blockquote>“I am impressed with the group’s ability to both play and interact well with students. They used effective questioning, seemed to know what was developmentally appropriate for children in second grade, and reinforced great vocabulary. Oh, and they are amazing musicians as well!”</blockquote>— Dr. Jennifer Griffin, Principal, Oakwood Elementary School, Hickory, NC<blockquote>“I loved witnessing the diversity of experiences of professional classical musicians, looking at different avenues after graduation. Additionally, I have tremendously enjoyed being able to hear such an exceptional quality of music being performed here and being able to interact with the quartet members informally and as part of our academic courses.”</blockquote>— Undergraduate music student, Mount Allison University<blockquote>“Classroom visits have been incredibly useful this term, and the members of the quartet have been so generous with their feedback on student compositions-in-progress. The members of the quartet are able to work with students at their varied, individual levels of ability while at the same time pushing students toward greater musical excellence and creativity. My students have definitely produced stronger work than usual this year due, in large part, to the feedback and inspiration they have received from the quartet.”</blockquote>— Kevin Morse, Professor of Composition, Mount Allison University

Testimonials

Tesla Quartet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Tesla Quartet

string quartet

large_TESLA QUARTET VEGAS-20.jpg

medium_TESLA QUARTET VEGAS-20.jpg

small_TESLA QUARTET VEGAS-20.jpg

thumbnail_TESLA QUARTET VEGAS-20.jpg

TESLA QUARTET VEGAS-20.jpg

“I love these sessions. It's really wonderful to have the opportunity to watch you do this work, and hear your thought processes. I hear and feel the things you're talking about come out in the music, and it's very enlightening (and beautiful).”—Sean<h2>Immerse yourself with the <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/tesla-quartet/">Tesla Quartet</a>&nbsp;as they explore Béla Bartók's six monumental string quartets&nbsp;for the first time.</h2><figure class="image"><a href="https://youtu.be/fWjCPSTjWpw?t=1083" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Bartok_Livestream_2536fe57b7.png"></a></figure>&nbsp;<h3>Adopt a Bartók Quartet</h3>Join the <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/tesla-quartet/">Tesla Quartet</a> this spring on an extraordinary journey! For any concert presenters seeking virtual programming through June 2021, we offer an exclusive invitation from the Tesla Quartet, who have mapped out a deeply personal&nbsp;journey for audience members to learn the six Bartók Quartets alongside them.&nbsp;We are looking for presenters who would each like to adopt a Bartók Quartet and give their community this exclusive learning experience. After a wonderfully successful installment of the first three&nbsp;Bartók Quartets—sponsored by Friends of Chamber Music&nbsp;Troy and the Grand Valley State University&nbsp;Department of Music—we are looking for presenters who would each like to adopt one of the final three&nbsp;Bartók Quartets&nbsp;and give their community this exclusive learning experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;Check out the audience responses below:&nbsp;<hr>“Thank you for inviting your listeners and fans to participate with you. All three of the guest speakers (and your performances, of course) have been wonderful.”&nbsp;—Anonymous"I found the commentaries the most valuable; they illuminated the road Bartók took, and thus the music. Can I comment as well? the playing of the Tesla Quartet is extremely elegant and these quartets were performed beautifully."—Jim"It was exciting to hear a young quartet, relatively speaking, be so enthusiastic about Bartok's quartets. I also learned more about Bartók's life and approach to composing from the guest speakers. The open rehearsals were exciting to see and hear what aspects of the music you go over when actually rehearsing together. Also interesting to hear how musicians try to convey aspects of playing specific music in words."—Sally<hr><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Each Bartók Week</h3>In the Tesla Quartet’s six week Bartók-fest, they are exploring&nbsp;how this music sways their innermost passions, to a depth and at a pace designed to entertain, inform, and engage their listeners. Each week focuses on a single quartet and consist of the following:<ul><li>Day 1 –&nbsp;Live&nbsp;Conversation with an&nbsp;expert:&nbsp;Guests to include:&nbsp;Nicholas Kitchen, first violinist of the Borromeo Quartet; Hungarian violinist Károly Schranz, founding member of the Takács Quartet; and celebrated composer Gabriel Lena Frank.</li><li>Day 2 –&nbsp;Live Open Rehearsal:&nbsp;A behind the scenes look at the Tesla Quartet's rehearsal process.</li><li>Day 3 –&nbsp;Live&nbsp;Performance:&nbsp;The week’s activities will culminate in a live-stream performance of one of the string quartets.</li><li>Audience Participation: Each session will include a Q&amp;A session for the audience to engage with the ensemble and its guests.</li></ul>&nbsp;Dates: May 26-29 – String Quartet No. 4 June 2-5 – String Quartet No. 5 June 9-12 – String Quartet No. 6 &nbsp;<h3>Sponsorships &nbsp;Available!</h3>Each week is sponsored by a performing arts organization from across the United States. For a $5,000 sponsorship, patrons of the sponsoring organizations will receive a subscription for the entire series and will have VIP access to the Q&amp;A sessions and prizes for the sponsored week.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>"I've never really enjoyed Bartók. Though I have more recordings of B's quartets than any other, so I guess I have been looking for a way in. The talks with Bartók experts have REALLY helped."—Gary "Sooo good!! I don't know why such dissonance brings me so much joy lol. That last movement is incredible and really ties it all together. Much love Tesla Quartet!"—Doug "This is a wonderful performance, it has it all: lyricism, dance rhythms, unabashed enjoyment of the dissonances, thank you so much. I plan to listen to it often."—Sonia<hr>&nbsp;To inquire about sponsorship or to learn more about the <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/tesla-quartet/">Tesla Quartet</a>, please email Artist Representative, <a href="mailto:matthew@arielartists.com?subject=Tesla%20Quartet%20Bartok%20Inquiry">Matthew Kulas</a>.

large_Bartok Project poster wood v.4.jpg

medium_Bartok Project poster wood v.4.jpg

small_Bartok Project poster wood v.4.jpg

thumbnail_Bartok Project poster wood v.4.jpg

Bartok Project poster wood v.4.jpg

Tesla Quartet: A Bartók Journey

Akropolis Reed Quintet_ 2023-24_Biographies.pdf

Winner of the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award, Akropolis has engaged more than 40,000 youth during its 13-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.&nbsp;Akropolis delivers fast-paced and informative workshops, including its “The Best Story” presentation for elementary schools, featuring a musical reenactment of the Eileen Spinelli children’s book. At the middle and high school level, Akropolis gives performances, coachings, Q&amp;A's, and offers a side-by-side band concerto by Peter Terry.&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

Based on Akropolis' 8 year of experience teaching and entrepreneurship and career development, including courses at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Michigan State University College of Music, Akropolis created&nbsp;<a href="https://akropolisquintet.org/mastermind/">Akropolis Mastermind</a>&nbsp;in 2019 and since then have engaged 22 early career artists and over 80 participants&nbsp;in this weeklong career development workshop.&nbsp;Please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://akropolisquintet.org/mastermind">akropolisquintet.org/mastermind</a>&nbsp;to read the testimonials from these participants' experiences.&nbsp;At the university level, Akropolis provides customized workshops derived from their Mastermind, including sessions on health and sustainability, marketing/branding, financial planning, project development, and more.&nbsp;Akropolis also delivers inspiring master classes, reads and premieres works by student composers, and has even collaborated with college students in performance.&nbsp;

Akropolis Mastermind (University)

Akropolis Reed Quintet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Akropolis Reed Quintet

medium_Akropolis Quintet_Color Bands_credit Steve Korn.jpg

small_Akropolis Quintet_Color Bands_credit Steve Korn.jpg

thumbnail_Akropolis Quintet_Color Bands_credit Steve Korn.jpg

Akropolis Quintet_Color Bands_credit Steve Korn.jpg

<h3>Ghost Light (def.)&nbsp;</h3>"a small, single bulbed light, usually a floor lamp of some sort, that shines on the dark stage throughout the night when the theater is closed and unoccupied."—Onstageblog.com<hr>&nbsp;The <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/akropolis-reed-quintet/">Akropolis Reed Quintet</a>'s 4th album,&nbsp;<a href="https://arielartists.com/interdisciplinary-projects/ghost-light/">Ghost Light</a>, released on April 9, 2021 and already hailed by&nbsp;The Wire (U.K.) as "audibly driven by real excitement and a sense of adventure," is now available as a touring program specifically designed to aid presenters in creatively reopening their venues to live audiences with an intentional sense of community. The event will be staged by the Akropolis with intimate lighting and include a ghost light from the presenting venue, or another in the community.<figure class="image"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0WsLf8_hGU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Akropolis_Ghost_Light_Playing_1_f896b18e70.jpg"></a></figure>&nbsp;<a href="https://arielartists.com/interdisciplinary-projects/ghost-light/">Ghost Light</a>&nbsp;is a meditation on life, death, and rebirth&nbsp;"performed with faultless detail and refreshing artistry" (I Care if You Listen).&nbsp;It&nbsp;shines a light on the ghosts all around us and grapples with the issues of mortality and our personal and collective history. The concert program includes selections from the&nbsp;<a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/akropolis-reed-quintet/">Akropolis Reed Quintet</a>'s&nbsp;fourth album,&nbsp;<a href="https://akropolisquintet.org/ghostlight/">Ghost Light</a>&nbsp;on New Focus Recordings, including 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Michael Gilbertson, and 2019 Academy of Arts and Letters Award recipient, Stacy Garrop. A masterwork by Jeff Scott telling the history of three razed Black Detroit neighborhoods is accompanied by new poetry written by Detroit historian and author, Marsha Music.&nbsp;<h3>Pure Gold</h3>Celebrating their 12th year and hailed by Fanfare Magazine for their “imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality,” the <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/akropolis-reed-quintet/">Akropolis Reed Quintet</a> was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and has won seven national chamber music prizes including the Fischoff Gold Medal and Fischoff Educator Award. The San Francisco Chronicle dubbed the Akropolis’s third album release,&nbsp;The&nbsp;Space Between Us, “pure gold.”&nbsp;To inquire about <a href="https://arielartists.com/interdisciplinary-projects/ghost-light/">Ghost Light</a> or to learn more about the <a href="https://arielartists.com/artists/akropolis-reed-quintet/">Akropolis Reed Quintet</a>, please email Artist Representative, <a href="mailto:matthew@arielartists.com?subject=Akropolis%20Reed%20Quintet%20Inquiry">Matthew Kulas</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

large_Akropolis_Door_2020 (Credit—Kari Landry).jpg

medium_Akropolis_Door_2020 (Credit—Kari Landry).jpg

small_Akropolis_Door_2020 (Credit—Kari Landry).jpg

thumbnail_Akropolis_Door_2020 (Credit—Kari Landry).jpg

Akropolis_Door_2020 (Credit—Kari Landry).jpg

Akropolis Reed Quintet: Ghost Light

<h2>A Call for the Best Artistic Ideas in Classical Music, Focusing on Relevance, Innovative Power, Inclusive Dialogue, Diverse Participation, and Positive Impact&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://arielartists.com/">Ariel Artists</a>&nbsp;announces a new, annual “innovation competitions” format, launched through its innovation platform,&nbsp;<a href="http://arielavant.org/">Ariel AVANT: Connect Forward</a>. The competitions function as an open invitation to classical musicians and chamber ensembles to push forward the evolution of classical music as an art form, with concert presenters, industry thought leaders, and Ariel Artists roster artists all joining forces to identify best ideas in the marketplace and reward them with development time, commissioning support, and performance opportunities. AVANT takes the competition beyond artistic mastery, focusing on relevance, innovative power, inclusive dialogue, diverse participation, and positive impact as metrics of excellence.Ariel Artists founder&nbsp;Oni Buchanan&nbsp;explains, “I founded Ariel Artists in 2009, as a pianist and poet interested in contemporary music and interdisciplinary performance. As a young, unknown artist engaged in non-traditional performance endeavors, I booked concerts for myself from 2003 to 2013, honing my strengths of programming curation, recontextualizing canonical works alongside contemporary repertoire, creating interdisciplinary collaborations, and offering performance residencies. Through those efforts, I built a machine whose infrastructure I realized I could leverage to represent a full roster of artists pursuing innovative work and seeking to engage with communities of people. My impact would be exponentially greater than anything I could achieve as a soloist.Now in its 11th year, Ariel has built wonderful partnerships with artists, concert presenters, and thought leaders across our industry who share our core values of innovation, interdisciplinary connection, and ongoing, participatory dialogue across diverse communities of people. I therefore find myself in the fortunate position of being able to put out a call for ideas to the larger classical music ecosystem, and having a community of support ready to join the initiative. I’m excited to offer the Ariel AVANT platform as a way to invite and reward the best ideas, to facilitate development opportunities for artists creating innovative projects, and to bring people together across our industry to put momentum behind the evolution of classical music as an art form. This is truly an ‘everyone wins’ opportunity, and I am immensely grateful for the participation of our visionary colleagues for whom I have such enormous respect.”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://arielavant.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/UN_Sustainable-Development-Goals.jpg" alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is UN_Sustainable-Development-Goals.jpg"></figure>The initial Ariel AVANT competition category will be&nbsp;Impact Performance, with an application deadline of June 1, 2020. The&nbsp;Impact Performance&nbsp;prize goes to the most compelling interdisciplinary and/or multimedia performance designed to generate productive conversation and offer positive means of action addressing a social justice issue, particularly one related to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/">United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a>&nbsp;prioritized to be achieved by 2030. Applying artists should also propose one or more new works (of at least 10 minutes total) which will be commissioned for the performance itself and integral to its implementation.<hr><h3>Competition Guidelines</h3>In an effort to mitigate implicit bias, the competition will be judged by three tiers of judging panels made up of varying ratios of concert presenters, industry thought leaders, and Ariel roster artists, all from diverse backgrounds. The best ideas win, with four levels of recognition:&nbsp;Grand Prize Winner, Second&nbsp;and&nbsp;Third Place&nbsp;winners, and a&nbsp;Heart&nbsp;winner, an honorable mention for a proposal “with heart.” The grand prize includes a $20,000 touring fund to support five performances with paired engagement events, a $10,000 development and commissioning fund, and a two-week incubation residency for beta testing at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Second and third prizes are honorariums of $3,000 and $2,000, respectively. &nbsp; The AVANT competitions are open to classical music soloists and chamber ensembles of every background, regardless of age, ensemble instrumentation, race, gender identification, sexual orientation, or any other factor.&nbsp; &nbsp; The only eligibility requirements to apply are the following:<ul><li>An active performance history of at least two years</li><li>Established membership of at least two years (in the case of chamber ensembles)</li><li>The total number of touring artists/collaborators (including accompanying technicians) must range from 3-6 people</li><li>Applicants must be able to tour in the United States during the Grand Prize touring period (approximately September through December 2021)</li><li>Commissioned works must be completed and delivered to artists/collaborators well in advance of the Grand Prize touring period</li></ul><h3><a href="http://arielavant.org/competition/impact-performance">FULL COMPETITION GUIDELINES</a></h3>&nbsp;<h3>Impact Performance Competition Timeline:</h3><ul><li>Applications Due:&nbsp;June 1, 2020</li><li>Semi-Finalists Announced:&nbsp;July 2020</li><li>Finalists Announced:&nbsp;August 2020</li><li>Grand Prize Winner Announced:&nbsp;September 2020</li><li>Approximate Touring Period:&nbsp;September – December 2021</li></ul><h3><a href="https://arielartists.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=2cf7a44ee169236786b861340&amp;id=cbb5deecfb">SIGN UP FOR THE AVANT MAILING LIST TO RECEIVE COMPETITION NOTIFICATIONS HERE!</a></h3>

News

Palaver Strings Joins Ariel Artists Roster

Delphi Trio to Commission Clarice Assad Triple Concerto

Tesla Quartet: A Bartók Journey

Akropolis Reed Quintet: Ghost Light

Ariel Artists Announces New Annual Innovation Competitions