2011 featured artists
eighth blackbird, ensemble-in-residence
Described by The New Yorker as "friendly, unpretentious,
idealistic and highly skilled", eighth blackbird promises
its ever-increasing audiences provocative and engaging performances.
It is widely lauded for its performing style: often playing
from memory with virtuosic and theatrical flair and its
efforts to make new music accessible to wide audiences. A New
York Times reviewer raved, "eighth blackbird's performances
are the picture of polish and precision, and they seem to be thoroughly
engaged by music in a broad range of contemporary styles." The
sextet has been the subject of profiles in the New York Times and
on NPR's All Things Considered; it has also been
featured on CBS's Sunday Morning, St. Paul Sunday, Weekend
America and The Next Big Thing, among others. The
ensemble is in residence at the University of Richmond in Virginia
and at the University of Chicago. Visit eigthblackbird.com
for more information on 3p's ensemble-in-residence.
VERGE ensemble
VERGE ensemble is Washington's longest-running modern music organization. A group of professional
performers and composers founded the ensemble, originally the Contemporary Music Forum (CMF), in 1973
to encourage the composition and performance of modern classical music. In 2003, we became the modern
music ensemble in residence at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and in 2007, CMF created VERGE ensemble as
the performance wing of the organization.
The mission of VERGE ensemble is to promote and encourage the composition, performance and enjoyment
of modern classical music. Our innovative concerts feature new and recent works by both emerging and
well-established American and international composers. VERGE and CMF have been presenting concerts of
new music in Washington, DC and internationally for 38 years, and our exclusive focus on new music is
unique among DC performing groups. Throughout its existence, the organization has pioneered
performances that combine art and technology, and has partnered with highly esteemed local venues
including the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institutions American
Art Museum and American Indian Museum, La Maison Franaise/Embassy of France, and the Corcoran
Gallery, where VERGE serves as ensemble-in-residence. VERGE provides opportunities for the creative
expression of composers by giving their music outstanding live performances, and connecting composers
and performers directly with our audiences, thereby fostering vital and mutually constructive
artistic relationships. A recent Washington Post review describes our mission perfectly, saying that
CMF/VERGE puts modern classical music in front of the public with more dedication and skill than any
other group in Washington.
Visit the VERGE ensemble website at www.VERGEensemble.com to learn about ensemble concerts,
updates on the seasons program, to see images from our concerts, to donate online and to participate
in our VERGE ensemble new music community.
Elizabeth McNutt
Virtuoso flutist Elizabeth McNutt discovered her passion for new and
adventurous music almost as soon as she began playing. She has dedicated
herself to this path, commissioning and premiering countless new works and
becoming an expert interpreter of the masterpieces of the last century.
Besides her ongoing collaborations with young and upcoming composers,
"commanding flutist Elizabeth McNutt" (LA Times) has worked with such
recognized figures as Pierre Boulez, Brian Ferneyhough, Harvey Sollberger,
Cort Lippe, Philippe Manoury, Russell Pinkston, Roger Reynolds, Joji
Yuasa, and Joan Tower.