NEC's Contemporary Improvisation Dept. Presents Streaming Concert Featuring Extraordinary Student Musicians

New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation department presents a concert featuring two of its most popular ensembles: Open Form Ensemble and Survivors Breakfast on Monday, November 23. Both ensembles are coached by acclaimed faculty member Anthony Coleman.

At 7 p.m. Open Form Ensemble, which explores experimental scores for small ensemble, presents a set featuring open form pieces including Four Systems by Earle Brown, The Gentle by Pauline Oliveros, Paragraph VI from The Great Learning by Cornelius Cardew, and Les Moutons de Panurge by Frederic Rzewski. Featured are Lyra Montoya, sax; Farzin Dehghan, kamancheh; Giulia Haible, cello; Rihards Kolmanis, guitar; and Chris Chapin, piano.

At 9 p.m., Survivors Breakfast explores the wonderful and terrifying space between composition and improvisation. Repertoire includes original compositions by ensemble members along with pieces by John Zorn, Christian Wolff and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Performances livestreamed from Eben Jordan Ensemble Room. Featured are Delfina Cheb, voice, guitar; Litha Ashforth, voice; Kelly Bray, trumpet; Marie Carroll, koto, cello; Miguel Landestoy, piano, keyboard; Caleb Duval, bass; and Tyler Wagner, bass.

For information and to watch the concert visit https://necmusic.edu/events/contemporary-improvisation-nec-open-form-ensemble-survivors-breakfast.

NEC's Contemporary Improvisation program addresses the unique needs of musicians seeking to move beyond traditional boundaries. The department brings together an extremely diverse group of the world's finest young artists in a setting where they can truly grow as a community of composers, performers, and improvisers. With an emphasis on ear training, technique, conceptual ideas, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a wide range of improvisational traditions, the CI program is uniquely positioned to produce the complete 21st century global musician. Founded in 1972 by Gunther Schuller and Ran Blake, the department is "a thriving hub of musical exploration," (Jeremy Goodwin, Boston Globe).

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