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Bands & Orchestras in Somerville, Massachusetts

Klezmer Conservatory Band photos
Klezmer Conservatory Band, Somerville
Somerville / Massachusetts / United States
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A blend of Yiddish and American idioms, Kelzmer music became widely known in the 1800's. But by the 1940's, it's popularity had waned. A revival began in the 1970's, and the KCB was formed in 1980 by Hankus Netsky. For it's first decade, the KCB toured coast to coast. It finally headed abroad in 1990, staging several concerts in Germany and playing the first ever International Yiddish Festival in Krakov, Poland. Described as alternately 'saucy' and 'virtuosic,' the KCB, now a 10-piece band, has appeared several times on Minnesota Public Radio's "A Prairie Home Companion" and has also performed on PBS with Itzhak Perlman. The KCB has numerous widely-distributed discs under it's belt, including releases on the revered Vanguard and Rounder folk labels.

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Boston Musica Viva photos
Boston Musica Viva, Somerville
Somerville / Massachusetts / United States
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Music Director Richard Pittman founded Boston Musica Viva in 1969 as the first professional ensemble in Boston devoted to contemporary music. Through the years, BMV has become one of the most highly respected ensembles of its kind, with an international reputation for innovation and excellence. Andrea Musso of the Corriere di Torino praised the superb versatility of the ensemble, and Tim Page of The New York Times wrote that BMV is justly celebrated as one of the finest new music ensembles in the United States.BMV is dedicated to presenting the ever-evolving music of our time, performed by musicians who play with virtuosic precision and passionate involvement. Its mission is to broaden experience, knowledge, and enjoyment of every style of new music by embracing the full range of todays compositional activity and giving voice to music that might otherwise not be heard. BMVs commissioning program has brought into being essential new works for young audiences, and an intriguing spectrum of music for chamber ensemble, opera, music theater, and multimedia. The strength of premiere performances by the ensemble has helped many pieces enter the modern repertoire. BMV is particularly proud to have been an early champion of composers such as Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, John Harbison, Joseph Schwantner and Steven Stucky, each of whom later went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. BMV is unique in its consistent support of composers of challenging music, assuring that their works will receive top-level premieres. With rare exception, a new work, often by an American composer, is premiered at each concert. In its 40-year history, BMV has performed more than 592 works by 244 composers. These include 154 works written specifically for BMV, 169 world premieres, and 75 Boston premieres. In addition to its four-concert season in Boston, BMV has presented programs throughout the United States and Europe. In March of 2010, BMV will make its ninth trip to Europe to perform three concerts of music by American composers at Kings Place, a new concert hall in London. Domestic tours have brought the ensemble to Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress, Carnegie Recital Hall, the 92nd Street Y, Tanglewood, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and numerous other concert halls, colleges, and universities. BMV has toured Europe eight times, most recently by invitation to the Settembre Musica Festival in Turin, Italy. BMV has recorded for Albany, Neuma, Delos, CRI, Nonesuch, Newport Classic and Northeastern Records.
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