Continuum (chamber ensemble)

Continuum is a founded in 1966 in New York by Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs chamber music ensemble for new music. The ensemble is unconventional in the compilation of his programs and his concert tours sometimes lead to countries that are usually away from the routes of classical chamber music ensembles. So it went, for example, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The program design of Continuum is characterized by the Retrospective Concerts, which direct the focus on a particular composer, allowing in this way a more in depth look at his work. In this framework it is possible Continuum rediscover works of classical modernism and the avant-garde and to present contemporary works in world premieres.

The New York Times wrote about the work of the ensemble: " Simply put: . There are no musical group in New York, the intellectually seductive or emotionally satisfying programs than Continuum makes "

History of the ensemble

In the first decade after the founding of the ensemble in 1966 was in his concert programs a balance between works arrivierter Vintage European music of the first half of the 20th century - such as Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky - and more recent compositions, such as Luigi Dallapiccola, Luciano Berio and Milton Babbitt. Thereafter, however, the ensemble expanded his field of vision and specialized in the less Prestigious or even entirely unknown among contemporary composers. In 1985, Continuum undertook the first concert tour abroad, which led by England and Australia. It was followed by numerous tours throughout Germany, France and other European countries. Towards the end of the eighties grew steadily taken the interest of the ensemble at the creation of Eastern European and Russian composers, works by Galina Ivanovna Ustwolskaja, Leonid Hrabowskyj, Bacewicz and others were in the concert programs. 1990 and 1996, the ensemble performed in Ukraine. More concert tours it led to Uzbekistan (1999, 2000, 2002 ), Georgia ( 2001), Azerbaijan (2001) and Mongolia ( 2002).

Occupation

The ensemble played over the years in varying grouping and with different soloists in a core cast of nine members. Among them, the two founding members Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs already mentioned above

  • Cheryl Seltzer, piano and ensemble direction (founding member )
  • Joel Sachs, piano and ensemble direction (founding member )
  • Ulla Suokko, Flute
  • Tanya Dusevic Witek, flute
  • Fiona Kelly, flute
  • Jayn Rosenfeld, flute
  • Martin Butler, Oboe
  • Moran Katz, clarinet
  • David Gresham, clarinet
  • Sue Heineman, bassoon
  • Daniel Grabois, horn
  • Richard Kelly, trumpet
  • Mark Steinberg, violin
  • Tom Chiu, violin
  • Renée Jolles, violin
  • Stuart Canin, violin
  • Patrick Doane, violin (2004-2010)
  • Stephanie Griffin, viola
  • Arthur Kampela, Viola
  • Claire Bryant, cello
  • Kristina Reiko Cooper, Cello
  • Kurt Muroki, double bass
  • Bridget Kibbey, harp
  • Oren Fader, guitar
  • Jared Soldiviero, percussion
  • Erik Charlston, percussion

Repertoire

The repertoire of the ensemble Continuum is composed of both works of established contemporary composers (such as Arvo Pärt, Sofia Gubaidulina or Osvaldo Golijov Asgatowna ), as well as lesser-known works from contemporary composers (eg, Huang Ruo, Wang Jie or the Carman Moore). However, as in the classical modernity is represented, with names such as Béla Bartók, Igor Stravinsky and Anton Webern.

In February 2002, the ensemble Continuum was at Miller Theatre in New York, a concert in honor of the composer Sofia Gubaidulina Asgatowna (* 1931), who had celebrated only a few months before her 70th birthday. The core of the program was formed Gubaidulina piece of Perception, for baritone ( speaking voices ) and 7 string instruments ( 1981, rev 1983. 1986).

Premieres (selection)

Discography (selection)

A majority of the recordings of the ensemble appears at the less prestigious music labels: Nonesuch Records, CRI or MHS. However, now some of the recordings were reissued by Naxos.

Awards

  • Four ASCAP / Chamber Music America Awards for Adventuresome Programming
  • Ernst von Siemens Music Prize
Luigi Dallapiccola Galina Ustvolskaya Record label Conlon Nancarrow Charles Ives Leon Kirchner Robert Erickson Roberto Sierra
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