A NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR

* * *

August 25th, 2012 will mark the first anniversary of The Box Is Empty‘s first performance (listen here).  You who were there will remember the energy behind those two works by Louis Andriessen, and the ensemble continues to carry that same spark through each and every show.  The Box Is Empty has been fortunate to give world premieres by Nat Evans and Scott Gendel, US premieres by Louis Andriessen and Michel Van Der Aa, and a host of Seattle premiere’s this past season.  We are grateful to all of the composers and performers who have been a part it.

Many of you know that my wife, Crystal and I will shortly be moving to London, and many of you have asked what will happen to The Box Is Empty while we’re gone.  Let me say first that Seattle is the home of The Box Is Empty.  What the group believes, who we are, and what we do are focussed in Seattle, and we are committed to Seattle’s new music community in its many facets.

Second, let me share some of what we hope to do this year.  In addition to keeping up on and expanding the blog (don’t forget to check out the performances listed below!), we have a number of projects on the docket…

• Recording Projects – We have two big recording projects planned for the 2012-2013 season.  First, we hope to produce the world premiere recording of Louis Andriessen’s De Volharding.  It was a special experience for us to give the work’s US premiere last year, and it seems only fitting that we make the first ever studio recording of the piece.  Second, we will be working on the Reich Counterpoints for Cello, Flute, Electric Guitar, and Clarinet, with The Box Is Empty members Natalie Hall, Elizabeth Jolly, Jared Borkowski, and Ivan Arteaga.
• Concerts – The Box Is Empty will be giving two concerts this season (programs TBA), one in January and one in June.  Each will feature two of the Reich Counterpoints and an additional ensemble piece.
• Solo Series – As you have heard, The Box Is Empty has among its members outstanding solo talent, and we hope to feature them on a solo recital series this year.  Plans are still a big secret (shhhh!) but there are at least two solo recitals in the works, and the programs will be full of wonderful new music into which to sink your ears.

So, the box is empty on another year of projects, and we will be filling it with energy, creativity, and powerful performance, but none of it happens without support from our friends, our fans, and our followers.  We will be doing A LOT of fundraising in the coming months, and I hope you’ll see fit to pass the group along to your friends.  Keep an eye out for Kickstarter campaigns, and share, share, share.  If you know someone who would like the group, pass along our website and our facebook page; follow us on Twitter or follow this blog! We need all the help we can get, and we promise to offer outstanding new music played expertly well in return.  I am thankful for this past year, and so excited about where the group is headed.

See you all soon, and please GO LISTEN!

Jeremiah

* * * 

HAPPENING THIS WEEK – 8/20/2012-8/26/2012

• Jerry Hui – Eliza’s Toyes.  The Chazen Art Museum, Madison, WI.  August 23, 2012, 6:30.

HAPPENING SOON

• Parnassus Project – Live with Opera On Tap.  Blue Moon, Seattle, WA.  August 27, 2012, 8:30 p.m..
• The Concert Black – Spectrum,  New York, NY.  August 31, 2012, 8:00 p.m..
• Table and Chairs – Operation ID.  Seattle Center, Seattle, WA.  September 8, 2012, 12:00 p.m..
• Nat Evans – Blue Hour.  Big Car, Indianapolis, IN.  September 15, 2012.
• Lindsay Kesselman/Kate Moroney – Einstein on the Beach.  Opera House, Brooklyn, NY.  September 10-24, 2012.
• Amanda DeBoer Bartlett – with Ensemble Dal Niente.  Chihuahua, Mexico.  September 24-26, 2012.
• John Teske – Broken Bow Ensemble performs new works for chamber orchestra.  The Chapel Performance Space, Seattle, WA.  September 29, 2012.  8:00 p.m..
• Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble – Bowling Green New Music Festival.  Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.  October 17-20, 2012.
• Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble – Fall Tour.  Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha.  October 21-26, 2012.
• Hotel Elephant – Dia de los Muertos.  DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York, NY.  November 1, 2012, 8:00 p.m..
• Lindsay Kesselman – Premiere of a new works by Sarah Gibson and Amy Beth Kirsten.  USC, Los Angeles, CA.  November 16-18, 2012.
• John Teske – New Works for Choir.  The Chapel, Seattle, WA.  November 17, 2012.
• Jerry Hui – Eliza’s toyes.  The Chazen Art Museum, Madison, WI.  November 25, 2012, 12:30 p.m..
• Ryan Keebaugh – Frequency: New Music in the Valley.  Shenandoah Valley, VA.  Summer 2013.