Ahead of the Beat: Page 3

The following post was written by Christopher Thibdeau, the Conductor and Master Teacher of Bridge Boston, an El Sistema-inspired music program. At Bridge Boston, Christopher teaches over 300 students that are often the most economically and socially disadvantaged in the city: 20% have been homeless, 20% have received support from the Department of Children and Families, […]

The following post was written by Zach Preucil, a cellist, educator, and writer who was a regular contributor for Polyphonic.org. Zach provides some great thoughts here about how to share your exciting news on social media. You’ve done it! Months of preparation, persistence and sacrifice have paid off and you’ve just won a competitive audition, […]

The article below was written by Dylan Mattingly, Executive and Co-Artistic Director of Contemporaneous, a New York-based ensemble dedicated to performing contemporary music and presenting innovative programs.  Contemporaneous received a grant from the Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research to support their project, ORBIT, which Dylan describes and reflects on below. Recently, with the […]

The article below was written by flutist Emlyn Johnson, who conceived and directed the project “Music in the American Wild.”  It is a wonderful example of bringing an innovative project to life and Emlyn takes us through the journey from the raw idea through the successful completion of the project.  Be sure to check out […]

Supported in part by a grant from the Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research at the Eastman School of Music, Present Music, Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s acclaimed new music ensemble, brought together composers of all ages and experience levels through a new community engagement initiative: ComposeMilwaukee. The program invites schools and community organizations to GATHER, CREATE, […]

The post below was written by William Robin, a musicologist who received a 2015 Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research grant to study the social history of new music in the United States from 1980 to the present through the lens of innovative ensembles. As a musicologist who focuses on the world of contemporary […]

The article below was written by Ben Melsky, Executive Director and Harpist of Ensemble Dal Niente, a 2015 Paul R. Judy Center for Applied Research grant recipient. Ensemble Dal Niente is a Chicago-based contemporary music collective that presents and performs new music in ways that redefine the listening experience and advance the art form. The […]

This article was written by Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol, president and Robert Labaree, vice president of DÜNYA, a Boston-based musician’s collective.  DÜNYA was a Paul R. Judy Center grant recipient in 2015 – they were awarded funding to support performances of their production “Othello in the Seraglio.”  In the article below, Mehmet and Robert reflect on […]

River Oaks Chamber Orchestra (ROCO), based in Houston, TX, is a very creative an innovative ensemble, and in this article, Artistic Director Alecia Lawyer provides insight into how ROCO has conceived and launched innovative projects for more than a decade.   In founding ROCO (River Oaks Chamber Orchestra) in 2005, I was lucky not to […]

I think it is fair to say that most musicians who start an ensemble hope that it will be sustainable.  There are many factors that effect the longevity of a group of musicians, but let me suggest three key ingredients for keeping your ensemble together and moving forward past at least the 5 year mark.  […]