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Arcis Saxophone Quartet_2023-24_Biographies.pdf

Arcis Saxophone Quartet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Arcis Saxophone Quartet

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2xdanced

What do you get when you combine game show constraints with two choreographic visions of the same 20-minute piece of music? Arcis Saxophone Quartet invites you to join the beauty and the hilarity of "2XDanced" to find out. The presenter secures one local choreographer and two or more dancers from their community. Arcis Saxophone Quartet arrives 10 days before the performance, bringing with them the second choreographer, Roberta Pisu.Let the games begin!&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. 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;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

2XDANCED

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

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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 celebrate the release of the&nbsp;Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;album 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. In a tech-savvy twist, the Lifesongs performance and process-sharing will take place on a green screen, so that the live performers can afterwards be transformed into holograms to be geo-pinned&nbsp;in the community for several weeks to come. Community members can revisit and interact with these augmented reality (AR) performances after the live performance has ended, extending the Lifesongs residency impact and engaging community members in a fun&nbsp;new performance format, powered by the AR platform,&nbsp;<a href="https://immersphere.io/">ImmerSphere</a>.&nbsp;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 green screen 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 Phan1-3 Months following: &nbsp;Lifesongs performances will be geo-pinned in the community as an AR installation to be revisited. Any community member can engage with the hologram performances for free using their own smartphones. &nbsp;A Change is Gonna ComeFeaturing Grammy-nominated tenor Nicholas Phan and Palaver Strings,&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. Spanning genres, eras, and movements, A Change Is Gonna Come confronts our past and present and celebrates protest as one of our most precious rights.RepertoireNico 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

featuring Palaver Strings and Nicholas Phan

A Change is Gonna Come Performance and Lifesongs Project

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Philip Glass&nbsp;–&nbsp;Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and OrchestraLuke Bedford&nbsp;–&nbsp;Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra 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. 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 with Orchestra

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

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“Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?” is an electrifying concert experience blurring the lines between classical, jazz, and contemporary music as the “pure gold” Akropolis Reed Quintet joins forces with the Grammy-nominated composer and jazz pianist Pascal Le Boeuf and drummer Christian Euman.A septet never seen before in the history of both classical and jazz music, their fearless approach to creating new sounds and socially engaged art begs us all to answer the question: Are we dreaming the same American dream? Giving themselves complete musical freedom, the 7 musicians created a large-scale piece of music not possible in any other setting, flush with immense technicality and requiring perfect ensemble cohesiveness.Concert Repertoire Pascal Le Boeuf – Are We Dreaming the Same Dream? (full septet) 50-60′ 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′Watch a sample right here: <a href="https://youtu.be/ImKbAiTnjtE?t=1393" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/ImKbAiTnjtE?t=1393</a>Composed by Le Boeuf, the composition draws upon a careful selection of his 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 the American experience.&nbsp;As author Ralph Ellison observed, “the most agonizing mystery sponsored by the democratic ideal is that of our unity-in-diversity, our oneness in manyness.”Ellison also described a “unity of American experience beyond all considerations of class, of race, of religion.” More than a half-century later, have we realized this ideal of what it means to be American? Le Boeuf’s concert-length composition asks: Are we really dreaming the same American dream, or is our consumer culture overshadowing our own sense of belonging?BiographiesEach artist on stage is a powerhouse in their field. Founded in 2009, the Billboard charting, 7-time national prize winning Akropolis Reed Quintet makes music with “infallible musicality and huge vitality” (Fanfare Magazine). Winner of 7 national chamber music prizes including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal, Akropolis has premiered and commissioned over 150 works by living artists and composers. Pascal Le Boeuf is a Grammy-nominated 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," has toured with Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Geoff Keezer, among others. He attended the Thelonious Monk Institute where he studied and performed with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Jimmy Heath, and Stefon Harris.

Akropolis Reed Quintet | Pascal Le Boeuf | Christian Euman

Are We Dreaming the Same Dream

ZOFO_2023-24_Biographies.pdf

In this interactive and fun 45-minute program, children and young adults ages 12–18 are introduced to the history of the piano duet—from its inception to its future.What were people doing for entertainment before there were LPs, CDs, or iTunes? Why was playing piano duets was so hot? What does English composer Gustav Holst have to do with Star Wars? Wait—these sounds came from a piano?What happens when you break the territorial boundaries of one-piano-four-hands playing?How can you prevent fights between the two players? How can we help give birth to new piano duets?&nbsp;Excerpts from the following works are played during the presentation:<ul><li>BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5, arranged for piano duet</li><li>SCHUBERT: Fantasy in F minor</li><li>GUSTAV HOLST: The Planets, arranged for piano duet</li><li>ALLEN SHAWN: Hard-Edged</li><li>URMAS SISASK: The Milky Way</li><li>TOMOHIRO MORIYAMA: Let’s Play a Duet! (video)</li><li>GABRIELA LENA FRANK: Karnavalito from Sonata Serrana No.1</li></ul>

One-Piano-Four-Hands: The Original iTunes

ZOFO—Photos for Public Download.zip

ZOFO

one piano, four hands

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Australian composer Carl Vine has written two piano solo concertos and a concerto for two pianos. Now ZOFO commissions him for a concerto for piano duet (one-piano four-hands) and full orchestra – a combination that is very attractive, but extremely rare.“When we came across Carl Vine’s Sonata for Piano Four Hands a few years ago, we were immediately enthralled by his music. We were attracted to the richness and depth of expression, the overflow of ideas, the carefully crafted score, so artfully and smartly composed for four hands — a masterwork, inspiring us and demanding that we give our very best. Now, a few years later, we are very excited to have the opportunity to commission Carl Vine for a piano duet concerto. It will be an invaluable addition to the almost non-existent list of piano duet concertos and will be cherished by generations of piano duos.” — ZOFO“I am overwhelmed by the artistic unity and performance perfection of ZOFO. They play with a single, massively inventive mind, and I want to create music for this mystical four-armed animal that will turn the piano into the acoustic embodiment of the twenty-fingered orchestra.” – Carl VineLength:&nbsp;22-23 minutesInstrumentation:&nbsp; One piano four hands and an orchestra, 2.2.2.2-4.2.3.1-timp, 2pc, harp, and strings.

Carl Vine Piano Duet 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

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Finzi&nbsp;–&nbsp;Five Bagatelles, Op. 23 (arr. Christian Alexander) Corigliano&nbsp;–&nbsp;SoliloquyHeredia – Jus in Bello– Intermission –Mozart&nbsp;–&nbsp;Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581 &nbsp;The Tesla Quartet is joined by clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein in this program of clarinet quintets that span over 200 years. Mozart’s beloved Clarinet Quintet in A Major serves as the foundation of this collaboration and was the first piece Alex and the Teslas ever played together. Such was the chemistry and ease of collaboration during these first performances that the five musicians decided to record an album together comprising a variety of works for clarinet and string quartet.Published in 1945, Gerald Finzi’s Five Bagatelles were written over a span of 25 years. While they were originally conceived for clarinet and piano, this arrangement by Christian Alexander takes advantage of the ability of the quartet to sing, creating a rich texture around the clarinet that can transform from a somber chorus to a boisterous conversation.John Corigliano’s Soliloquy, originally the slow movement of his Clarinet Concerto, is dedicated to the memory of his father, violinist John Corigliano, who served as concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic for 23 years. The delicate and spare texture of this work expresses the desolation at the loss of a loved one.The newest work on the program, Argentinian composer Carolina Heredia’s Jus in Bello is a reaction to the political and social upheaval in Venezuela and the repression of its citizens that has been going on since 2014. &nbsp;“I am so delighted to have the wonderful combination of the Tesla Quartet and clarinetist Alex Fiterstein performing my “Soliloquy”. This is a very special piece for me, as it is taken from the slow movement of my clarinet concerto, which was written in memory of my father, John Corigliano. He was the concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic and died a year before the concerto premiered with that orchestra. Alex has the ability to spin the long lines this piece demands, and the Tesla Quartet can provide the suspended atmosphere of clarinet, solo violin, and hushed chordal background to complete the picture.”— John Corigliano

Tesla Quartet | Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet

Clarinet Quintets

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“Speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues” — Dr. Seuss, The Lorax &nbsp;This sentiment is at the heart of “For the Trees,” an interdisciplinary production using music, sound design, lighting, visual imagery, spoken word, and educational resources to raise awareness and inspire action around the issue of deforestation and the destructive ways it contributes to climate change.&nbsp;For many of us, the destructive actions taken by human society for centuries have ramifications that we are beginning to see in our day-to-day lives. It is also a crisis of conscience for us who recognize how our own individual actions do little to curb the encroaching danger. A global conversation is beginning to take place that has the potential to galvanize our political, intellectual, and scientific will in an effort to limit the damage we have done to our planet. As a modern string quartet committed to promoting new works, we would like to add to that conversation a meaningful emotional component.The degradation of the world’s forests is one of the most pressing ecological crises today. Forest degradation leads to soil erosion, habitat loss, and species extinction; it is also a major contributor to global warming through the release of massive amounts of carbon while also simultaneously eliminating a key mechanism for mitigating the impacts of global warming. Despite the urgency of the problem, most citizens are unaware of the issues driving deforestation and the profound ecological damage that results. Awareness and education is key.&nbsp;&nbsp;Repertoire:&nbsp;Adrian B. Sims – New work for string quartetCaroline Shaw – The EvergreenAlexandra Gardner – New work for string quartet-Intermission-Jeffrey Nytch – For the Trees &nbsp;Details:<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Sound installation: created by Nathan Hall, this soundscape combines the sounds of forests from around the world with highly-sensitive recordings of the inner workings of trees. This will play from the moment the house opens and continues after the House has been closed.</li><li>String Quartet (approx. 26 minutes): The quartet is inspired by the story of “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/05/the-last-great-tree-a-majestic-relic-of-canadas-vanishing-boreal-forest?utm_term=RWRpdG9yaWFsX0d1YXJkaWFuVG9kYXlVUy0xOTAzMDU%3D&amp;utm_source=esp&amp;utm_medium=Email&amp;utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&amp;CMP=GTUS_email">Big Lonely Doug</a>,” a 1,000-year old Douglas Fir on Vancouver Island that, more or less by fluke, was spared the loggers’ saws when the surrounding grove was clear-cut in 2011.</li><li>Visuals: The striking conclusion of the quartet is accompanied by the "before and after" pictures of old growth logging on Vancouver Island, BC, taken by acclaimed photographer T.J. Watt.</li><li>Spoken word: A spoken word collage brings together voices from around the world, including Indigenous Americans, reflecting on the meaning of trees in their lives.</li></ol>&nbsp;Modular performance design:The show is designed in a modular fashion to provide maximum flexibility for groups and venues. We hope this will encourage presenters to think creatively about how, where, when and for whom the piece is presented.&nbsp;All productions will come with a customized package of sound files, lighting instructions, and a list of resources for post-concert discussion.&nbsp;Options include:Full immersive production: This option includes pre-music sound installation, quartet, “before/after” visuals, vocal montage, and post-performance dialogue. Approximate duration: 75-90 minutes, depending on how long the dialogue lasts.Modified immersive productions: This version forgoes the sound installation and includes only the music, “before/after” visuals, and vocal montage. Another option would be to include only the visuals or only the vocal montage, depending on the tech capacity of the venue or other programming issues. Post-performance dialogue could still be included as part of the show, as a pre-show discussion, or at some other time and location. Approximate duration (not including any discussion): 26-28 minutes, depending on whether or not the vocal montage is included.Concert-only option: The quartet can also be played solely as a concert piece, with no additional media. Approximate duration: 26 minutes &nbsp;BiographiesThe Tesla Quartet is known the world over for their “superb capacity to find the inner heart of everything they play, regardless of era, style, or technical demand” (The International Review of Music). From contemporary works to established masterpieces, the Tesla Quartet’s thoughtful interpretations reveal the ensemble’s deep commitment to their craft. The Tesla Quartet builds upon years of early success at numerous competitions including top prizes at the prestigious 2016 Banff International String Quartet Competition, 2015 International Joseph Haydn Chamber Music Competition, and 2012 Wigmore Hall London International String Quartet Competition. From 2009 to 2012, the quartet held a fellowship as the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado-Boulder, where they studied with the Takács Quartet. Now entering its second decade, the quartet performs regularly across North America and Europe, with recent highlights including their debut at Lincoln Center, a return to Wigmore Hall, and performances at Stanford University’s Bing Concert Hall as winners of the prestigious John Lad Prize.&nbsp;Jeffrey Nytch has built a diverse career as a composer, educator, and thought leader in the field of arts entrepreneurship. He has also performed a wide range of repertoire as a vocalist and voice actor, and served six seasons as Executive Director of The Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, one of the nation’s premiere new music ensembles. In 2009 he joined the faculty of The University of Colorado-Boulder, where he is an Associate Professor of Composition and serves as Director of The Entrepreneurship Center for Music, one of the leading programs of its kind. Nytch’s music has been performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, MoMA, National Sawdust, the Corcoran Gallery, the Kennedy Center, and countless other venues throughout the U.S. and Europe. Notable artists include the New York Chamber Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Third Coast Percussion, ~Nois Saxophone Quartet, Grammy-winning violinist Edward Dusinberre, and many others.&nbsp;

Climate

For the Trees

Thalea String Quartet_2023-24_Biographies.pdf

Winners of the 2021 Ann Divine Educator Award from the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the Thalea String Quartet has been recognized internationally for their innovative approach to education and community engagement. The quartet has developed a wide-range of programming which they have shared with audiences across North America, Europe, and China.&nbsp;Find out more at <a href="http://www.thaleastringquartet.com/education">www.thaleastringquartet.com/education</a>

The Thalea String Quartet believes that exposing new audiences to the collaborative and creative power of chamber music is one of the most important facets of our work as a group. Thalea offers engaging interactive performances, workshops, and masterclasses that explore a diverse range of musical and non-musical subjects, ranging from the history of the string quartet repertoire, to the power of non-verbal communication, to American history.&nbsp;Performance offerings include Thalea’s dramatic musical re-telling of Aaron Reynolds’ award-winning children’s book Creepy Carrots. Hands-on experiences include instant composition workshops for musicians of all ages and abilities, and clinics on topics including stage presence and collaborative music-making.Thalea has developed a number of innovative virtual offerings for K-12 students that can be supplemented with in-person engagement activities. Created in 2020 in partnership with the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts,&nbsp;Hello Haydn!&nbsp;consists of a series of five short videos with corresponding response activities that invite students to explore the different roles found within a string quartet. These fun, engaging videos use a classic work by Joseph Haydn to demonstrate how four unique individual voices come together to create chamber music magic! Thalea’s follow-up video series Bringing Music to Life! was commissioned by Chamber Music Tulsa in 2021 and was presented to every fourth grader in Tulsa, OK through the Any Given Child Program.

K-12 Offerings

Thalea seeks to offer fresh and engaging approaches to their work with university students, encouraging young musicians to fearlessly commit to their individual musical voice while supporting and inspiring their colleagues. Thalea’s traditional offerings, including chamber music coaching and masterclasses, focus on elements of collaboration, teamwork, and spontaneity. Composition readings include open rehearsals, workshop sessions, and Q&amp;A sessions on effective writing for string instruments. Interactive seminars explore diversity in Classical music, discovering and developing your personal artistic voice, interpersonal collaboration, and non-verbal communication.&nbsp;Masterclasses and CoachingThe Thalea String Quartet has offered chamber music coaching and masterclasses at institutions across North America, including the University of Maryland, the University of Texas at Austin, the Frost School of Music, and Berkelee College of Music. In addition to fostering a deeper understanding of chamber music repertoire from a variety of musical traditions, masterclasses and coachings also focus on elements of collaboration, teamwork, and spontaneity.Nonverbal Communication WorkshopThis interactive workshop dives into the power of nonverbal communication in all areas of life. Originally designed for first year medical students at Wayne State University (Detroit, MI), this workshop demonstrates effective nonverbal communication in the contexts of chamber music rehearsal, performance, and stage presence, in the hopes of fostering impactful and thoughtful nonverbal interactions on stage and in the community.This workshop was the basis of a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8136361/">peer-reviewed study</a> and was covered in an <a href="https://today.wayne.edu/medicine/news/2019/06/21/worlds-best-string-quartets-teach-medical-students-the-art-of-nonverbal-communication-32642">article</a> for the Wayne State School of Medicine News.48 Hour Composition MarathonThis program, designed for university composition students, challenges young composers to create a brand new work for string quartet in just 48 hours! Developed in 2017, this workshop includes one-on-one sessions with members of the quartet, open workshop sessions, and a final performance and live recording by the Thalea String Quartet.

Community engagement has been central to the mission of the Thalea String Quartet since its founding in 2014. Community-driven partnerships have allowed Thalea to perform at soup kitchens, libraries, retirement communities, prisons, and hospitals across North America and Europe. Highlights include performances with the Equinox Children’s Choir, a music program for underserved children in Brussels, and collaborations with Xenia Concerts, a Toronto-based organization that offers adaptive concerts for the disability and dementia communities.&nbsp;In the 22/23 season, the Thalea String Quartet presented adaptive concerts in partnership with Xenia Concerts (Toronto), Calgary Pro Musica (Calgary), and Azure Concerts (Baltimore). Read more about their adaptive concerts here.

The Thalea String Quartet believes that the joy of music can be shared with learners of all ages. The quartet offers specific, hands-on programming for adult amateur musicians and lifelong music lovers.&nbsp;Virtual Sight-Reading PartyLet the Thalea be your tour guides through a variety of masterpieces and underappreciated classics of the string quartet. Offering performance tips, historical context, and tricks of the trade, the Quartet invites musicians and music lovers of all ages to play along, follow the score, or just enjoy this virtual sight-reading party. The first iteration of this program, presented in February 2021, was a huge success. This activity can also be offered in-person.&nbsp;Adult Chamber Music SeminarModeled after the CHAMPS Virtual Chamber Music Seminar, this adult seminar currently in development invites adult amateur musicians to dive deep into a specific work of the string quartet canon. With emphasis on contemporary works by diverse composers, this asynchronous course offers adult string players the opportunity to continue to develop their technique, artistry, and collaborative skills.

Lifelong Learners

Thalea String Quartet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Thalea String Quartet

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“To watch the faces of the students as they entered is something I’ll never forget. The next 40 minutes was nothing short of magical.”&nbsp;“Found Sounds” is inspired by the sounds of the world around us. Join the Thalea String Quartet on a musical journey across America, through busy cities, across vast plains, and even through a dragon’s cave! This program includes a wide range of musical styles and interactive activities, offering a variety of sensory engagement levels. Over the course of this 60-minute concert, audience members will be invited to move, engage, and participate in collaborative music-making, all within the context of a safe, supportive, and open concert experience.&nbsp;“Found Sounds” features seven short works for string quartet and electronics by seven young neurodivergent artists. These pieces were composed in collaboration with Xenia Concerts and sound.colLAB, a unique co-creation project that celebrates neurodiversity through music.&nbsp;RepertoireJ.S. Bach - Three Chorales Antonin Dvorák - String Quartet in F major “American”: iii. Molto Vivace The Beatles (arr. Alex Vittal) - Abbey Road Suite: ii. Sun King Gabriella Smith - Carrot Revolution-stretch break with improvised musical accompaniment-&nbsp; Seven Miniatures Rory Berk - Fire Truck Talk&nbsp; Thomas Sinclair - for Fiesta Maddux Ma - Missed Connections Nathan Neutel - Through the Dragon’s Cave Laura Lapeare - Isaiah’s Birthday Anthony Hodgetts - CAPTCHA Woes Jamie Petit - Work Soundscapes&nbsp; Daniel Bernard Roumain - Klap Ur HandzBackgroundSince its founding, the Thalea String Quartet has been committed to fostering inclusion and accessibility in all of its performance, education, and community engagement activities. Over the past decade, Thalea has collaborated with community organizations across North America to develop adaptive and sensory-friendly programming for young people and families from the disability and neurodiversity communities. The members of the quartet have received hands-on artist training from leading disability advocates, including pianist Stephen Prutsman (Azure Series), Rory McLeod (Xenia Concerts), Erin Parkes (Lotus Centre for Special Music Education), and violist Maria Lambros (Our Joyful Noise Baltimore, Peabody Conservatory).&nbsp;In the 22/23 season, the Thalea String Quartet presented adaptive concerts in partnership with Xenia Concerts (Toronto), Calgary Pro Musica (Calgary), and Azure Concerts (Baltimore). In April 2018, Thalea launched a string program to provide opportunities for music education to individuals with autism of all functionalities. Thalea worked with pianist Steven Prutsman and Autism Fun Bay Area to create a unique curriculum where children and adults with autism learned violin, viola or cello together with their caregivers.&nbsp;Adaptive concerts welcome all forms of expressions. Concerts typically last 45-60 minutes and feature short or abridged musical selections, interactive activities, and frequent stretch and movement breaks. Audience members ideally have access to fidget toys and an area where listeners can take a break from the concert environment if desired. The Thalea String Quartet is available for consultation in creating a concert environment that is welcoming to all.&nbsp;Current programming includes specially curated programs for neurodiverse audiences and adapted versions of the quartet’s regular program offerings. The quartet’s most recent sensory inclusive concert, outlined above, features seven short works by young composers from the neurodiverse communities alongside music by Antonín Dvórak, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and the Beatles.&nbsp;Testimonials&nbsp;The quartet arrived and were fantastic to work with. They immediately put everyone at ease, were happy and compassionate to the situation and very professional.&nbsp; After a short briefing they began to play so that the music would already be occurring when the students entered.&nbsp; To watch the faces of the students as they entered is something I’ll never forget. The next 40 minutes was nothing short of magical.Staff were able to share stories of each student with me, and how remarkable this moment was for them – seeing typically violent or disregulated students sit peacefully, students lying down and intently listening, students who normally can’t sit for more than a couple minutes, sitting and rocking to the music. One student even “leaned in” to their teacher, which had never happened.&nbsp; Staff were able to give some distance to their students, not needing to sit or hold them, which is typically impossible.&nbsp; The smiles and wonder on the faces of the students and the staff was incredibly touching, and I must try to pass on their gratitude and spirit of the power of music. &nbsp;&nbsp;These students normally can’t cope with being in groups, due to sensory overload and other challenges, but on this day – they were coexisting and sharing smiles without any concerns. Amazing.The principal said to me “ What we are seeing is miraculous – I’ve never seen anything like it for these kids”.&nbsp;It was truly emotional and special.&nbsp; When students needed to express themselves, either physically or verbally, the quartet was accepting and did not allow it to startle or affect their performance.&nbsp; And they played so beautifully.Staff were taking video and pictures for parents who have perhaps never seen their child in this way…It was perfect, and something those families and staff, including myself will cherish.- Chris Herard (Calgary Catholic School Board)It makes my heart sing and another HUGE thank you to the Thalea quartet for sharing your music and yourselves with these children.&nbsp; You make the world a better place.- Samantha Whelans Kotkas (Education Coordinator, Calgary Pro Musica)I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful Azure concert last Sunday. Your absolutely beautiful quartet playing combined with your huge generosity of spirit was such a gift to our Azure audience!!! The program was just the perfect combination of soothing and fun. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your exquisite gifts with these beautiful families.- Maria Lambros (Our Joyful Noise Baltimore)&nbsp;Photo Credit: Nicola Betts

Equity

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Found Sounds – Sensory Inclusive Concerts

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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

JSB:48

Paragon Ragtime Orchestra_2023-24_Biographies.pdf

The Orchestra also creates customized programs for special events, centennials, celebrations, and holidays. With over 20,000 historic scores covering every musical style popular from the Civil War era to the Jazz Age, and with acclaimed American-music expert—and showman—Rick Benjamin in charge, we have the power and experience to custom-build programs especially for your venue, event, or theme. Your imagination is the only limit! Our client list over 30 years ranges from billion-dollar entertainment conglomerates to major performing arts centers and museums to small not-for-profit groups (and everything in-between).

Special Events & Customized Programs

The PRO also offers condensed 50 minute versions of all of the above programs for young audiences in schools; we have different versions of each designed for specific age levels: kindergarten–grade 2, grades 3–5, middle school, and high school students.

Educational Programs for Schools

Paragon Ragtime Orchestra–Photos for Public Download.zip

Paragon Ragtime Orchestra

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Note: Paragon has one of the world’s largest libraries of historic American orchestral music, and the particular pieces played on each of Paragon’s concert programs are subject to change to reflect this unique resource.Meet Me at the Fair! is a two-hour spectacular musical celebration of the world’s fairs, including the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. Musical “exhibits” rotate, but works by Offenbach, Joplin, Moses-Tobani, and Sousa are the core attraction, performed by Rick Benjamin and the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, the official orchestra and conductor of the U.S. Pavilion of the 1992 World’s Fair. Music played a key role in the success of all these international festivals, launching both hit songs and the illustrious careers of many American musicians (including Scott Joplin and Sousa). This new PRO program reunites stirring world’s fair hits with the continuous projections of magnificent fairground images. There is audience participation (on “Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis”), and as a finale, the Orchestra accompanies the Moving Picture Travelogue – historic world’s fair films by Thomas Edison &amp; company. All is propelled forward with evocative narration by conductor Rick Benjamin.&nbsp;Repertoire – curated by Rick Benjamin using original historic orchestra scores from his Collection“unheard since ____" piecesCentennial Hymn - John Knowles Paine (1839-1906)Telephone Galop - Theodore Moses-Tobani (1855-1933)Hail Columbia: Fantasie Brilliante (Op. 184) - Theodore Moses-Tobani (1855-1933)World's Columbian Exposition Waltz - Adelaide Marcelia Glück (1863-1934)Scherzo (orchestral version) - Edward McDowell (1860-1908)The Official Panama-Pacific March - Harry L. Alford (1875-1939)Rediscovered by and exclusively performed by Paragon&nbsp;Swing Along! (orchestral concert version) - Will Marion Cook (1869-1944)Rarely performed but not “lost”La Nuit et L'Amour - Augusta Holmès (1847-1903)The Official St. Louis World's Fair March (excerpt) - Frank Van Der Stucken (1858-1929) FilmThe"Meet Me at the Fair!" performance includes actual moving pictures from the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (San Francisco, 1915) by the Edison, Biograph, and Keystone film companies, featuring 1915 fair music by Sousa, Saint-Saëns, and Louis Hirsch.&nbsp;BiographyParagon came into being as the result of Rick Benjamin's 1985 discovery of thousands of historic orchestra scores once belonging to Victor recording star Arthur Pryor. Since then, Rick has discovered or been gifted thousands more historic scores, making him custodian of the world's largest library of scores from this turn-of-the-20th-century era.

Meet Me at the Fair!: Music from the Great World's Fairs

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There are hundreds of concertos for one piano, dozens for two pianos, but how many people can name a one-piano four-hands concerto?Here’s a brand-new addition to the almost nonexistent repertoire: Argentinian-born American composer Pablo Ortiz will write a piano duet (one-piano four-hands) concerto for ZOFO and chamber orchestra. Instead of using piano benches the pianists will sit on Cajóns, changing quickly between playing these Latin-American box percussion instruments and the keyboard.Length: 15 minutesInstrumentation: Version 1: One-piano four-hands and Chamber Orchestra (Strings only). The pianists will each sit on a Cajón. They will play on the Cajóns as well as on the keyboard. Version 2: One-piano four-hands and string quintet (2 violins, viola, cello, double bass). The pianists will each sit on a Cajón. They will play on the Cajóns as well as on the keyboard.

Pablo Ortiz Piano Duet Concerto

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The Thalea String Quartet continues their collaboration with pianist and Eighth Blackbird founder Lisa Kaplan in performances of Andy Akiho's monumental piano quintet, Prospects of a Misplaced Year. Composed in 2016, he piece is a thrilling blend of driving percussion, colorful timbres, and cinematic atmosphere.Born in Motown, Lisa Kaplan is a pianist specializing in the performance of new work by living composers. Kaplan is also the founding pianist of the four-time Grammy Award-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird. She has won numerous awards, performed all over the country and has premiered new pieces by hundreds of composers, including Andy Akiho, Chen Yi, Derek Bermel, Jennifer Higdon, Amy Beth Kirsten, David Lang, Nico Muhly, George Perle and Steve Reich. Kaplan has had the great pleasure to collaborate and make music with an eclectic array of incredibly talented people, including Mario Batali, Jeremy Denk, Bryce Dessner, Philip Glass, Glenn Kotche, Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie Prince Billy), Gustavo Santaolalla, Robert Spano, Dawn Upshaw, and Michael Ward-Bergeman, to name a few. Recently she has greatly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to do some composing and arranging for Eighth Blackbird. Kaplan is a true foodie, gourmet cook, avid reader, crossword and Scrabble addict, enjoys baking ridiculously complicated pastry and loves outdoor adventures. She has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, braved the Australian outback, stared an enormous elephant in the face in Tanzania’s Ngorogoro Crater, and survived close encounters with grizzly bears in the Brooks Range of Alaska.

Prospects of a Misplaced Year

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The Tesla Quartet premiered the first installment of their monumental 2-year climate change hybrid performance project with the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland. Called "Rising Tides," the program addresses the impacts of climate change on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and features two new string quartet works, as well as a new collection of visual works by photographer <a href="http://www.jayflemingphotography.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jay Fleming</a>. Adding another dimension to the project, the Tesla Quartet and The Clarice have partnered with the <a href="https://immersphere.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ImmerSphere</a> augmented reality platform to offer the audience the opportunity to experience this music in two ways. The hybrid performance premiered as both live and in augmented reality, where viewers can experience the commissioned works in uniquely curated 360° virtual environments.&nbsp;Rising Tides: Program Offering&nbsp;Adeliia Faizullina (b. 1988) – Drops and RipplesAlexandra Gardner (b. 1967) – WatershedAdrian B. Sims (b. 2000) – Hope - String Quartet No. 4&nbsp;Caroline Shaw (b. 1982) – The EvergreenRising Tides: Program DescriptionThe waters of the Chesapeake Bay are the lifeblood of the region, supporting not only the lives of millions of Americans, but countless species of flora and fauna. Global sea level rise as a result of climate change means that in the near future, the land and seascape of the Chesapeake Bay will be dramatically altered. Two new string quartets by <a href="https://alexandragardner.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alexandra Gardner</a> and <a href="https://www.adrianbsims.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adrian B. Sims</a>, commissioned by The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, aims to address the issues facing the inhabitants of the region, from habitat loss to disruptions of the fabric of everyday life.&nbsp;The program opens with “Drops and Ripples,” a brief quartet by Tatar composer Adeliia Faizullina, which the Tesla Quartet commissioned in 2020. The work comprises a series of episodes whose musical material precipitates from a single pizzicato, like the first drops of water in a mountain stream that are destined for the ocean.A new quartet by Alexandra Gardner focuses on fast-disappearing Hooper’s Island in south Dorchester County, Maryland. Once a bustling fishery, the island and surrounding areas are being overtaken by the water that once sustained them. Gardner explores musical ideas such as gestures like waves—that rise and reach a crest, then pull away—and of material that begins complete and that gets stripped away into a single line. Sea chanteys sung by Black fishermen on the Chesapeake in the 19th and 20th centuries are also lightly referenced.The second commissioned work, by Adrian B. Sims, explores themes of serenity, destruction, and hope. The work begins calmly, representing the breathtaking scenery. This peaceful introduction is then disrupted by natural and man-made phenomena, creating dissonance in both the music and the environment. The music ends with a vision for the future — a vision of hope that we will treat our environment more kindly going forward.The program closes with Caroline Shaw’s “The Evergreen,” a reflective work that considers the enormous age and beauty of nature as embodied in a scraggly, moss-covered forest pine. The music offers a meditation on the complexity and interconnectedness of beings of the natural world.Augmented Reality "Walking Concert"In addition to the live performance centerpiece, it is also possible to host an augmented reality (AR) "walking concert" of the works by Gardner, Sims, and Faizullina. In the walking concert, seven AR spheres are geo-pinned across the landscape of your choice. Each sphere consists of a 360-degree video environment from the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, with the Tesla Quartet performing music inside. Users are able to activate the experiences by scanning QR codes from their smartphone. &nbsp;Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.jayflemingphotography.com/">Jay Fleming</a>, commissioned by The Clarice

Rising Tides

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With more than 700 screenings across 48 States and 7 countries, PRO is one of the world’s foremost silent film accompanists. From Hollywood (American Cinematheque) to Chicago (Ravinia Festival) to New York (Lincoln Center), PRO leads the way in designing, producing, and performing silent film programs for contemporary audiences. Paragon also has one of the world’s finest collections of more than 900 original film scores (c. 1898-1928), adding unmatched historical depth and interest to its screenings.&nbsp;The Clown PrincesOur most popular two-hour silent film program of featuring a “variety pack” of three short, complete comedies, one each by Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd, accompanied by their original 1910s/20s orchestral scores. See&nbsp;<a href="https://paragonragtime.com/programs-and-bookings/film-programs/">here</a>&nbsp;for the current list of films.&nbsp;Chaplin – A Dog’s Life (New Program!)&nbsp;A two-hour silent film program of Charlie Chaplin’s 1918 featurette&nbsp;A Dog’s Life, with Rick Benjamin’s new reconstruction of the original score. The big city adventures of the Tramp, with his trusty “thoroughbred mongrel,” scraps. Charming!&nbsp;Fairbanks – The Mark of ZorroA two-hour silent film program of the original&nbsp;Zorro, Hollywood’s very first action-adventure movie! Douglas Fairbanks thrills audiences with swordplay, romance, and just a bit of comedy. Features the spectacular original Spanish flavored 1920 orchestral score.&nbsp;Keaton – The GeneralA two-hour silent film program of Buster Keaton’s 1927 masterpiece&nbsp;The General, a “story of love, laughs, and locomotives,” is a Civil War railroad epic inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase. World famous, and rightly so, featuring the original 1927 orchestral score.&nbsp;Chaplin – The KidA two-hour silent film program of Chaplin’s first full-length feature,&nbsp;The Kid. The Tramp adopts an abandoned child, and the two set off on a series of adventures. Sweet and funny, with touches of high drama featuring the original 1921 orchestral score.&nbsp;&nbsp;Keaton – Steamboat Bill, Jr.A two-hour silent film program of Keaton’s late-era,&nbsp;Steamboat Bill, Jr.&nbsp;features Keaton as the hapless son of a Mississippi riverboat captain trying to learn the family business. Extremely funny, with a fantastic cyclone finale! Features the original 1928 orchestral score.

Silent Film