ensemble39, made up of some of the most notable musicians of their generation, is dedicated to expanding the audiences of classical music through innovative methods of presentation, collaboration, and programming. The group’s unorthodox instrumentation, inspired by Prokofiev’s Quintet, Op. 39 for oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, and bass, allows flexibility of instrumentation and repertoire. Equally comfortable in standard and new works, as well as traditional and unusual venues, ensemble39′s program-driven concerts appeal to long-time classical music supporters as well as those newest to the form. Founded in spring 2011 by a group of musicians at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, ensemble39 shares a common energy and passion for chamber music and performance at the highest level.

The ensemble will be present as two different groups in the libraries:

• An oboe quartet (oboe, violin, viola, cello): Making Music: It’s about the team! Learn the importance of working together to get the very best results in anything that you do – including music making!
• A trio (clarinet, viola, bass):   Music Through the Ages! Take an exciting journey through time and evolution of classical music from its origins to now.

Here is a list of the library performances:

Tuesday, March 20

10:30 a.m. – Bull Street Library

12:30 p.m. – West Broad Library

Wednesday, March 21

10 a.m. – Hinesville Library

12:30 p.m. – Pooler Library

Thursday, March 22

10:30 a.m. – Springfield Library

12:30 p.m. –  Thunderbolt Library

4 p.m. – Islands Library

6 p.m. – Southwest Chatham Library

For more details about library locations, click here.

We are SO thrilled to be working with this talented group of musicians, and we hope you will stop by a Live Oak Public Library near you to see the ensemble in action.  Both Project 440 and ensemble39 are on Facebook.  Find us, and “like” us to learn more or just to find out the latest about our travels.

We look forward to seeing YOU soon!

Click logo for more information

P440: MusicAlive! proudly presents:”Under the Sea” inspired by the children’s book “The Fish Who Could Wish.” Watch as P440 Artists bring to musical life this captivating tale by the author John Bush about a fish with an extraordinary talent. Performances will be held in 14 Live Oak Branches over 4 days. For a complete listing including directions, visit Live Oak Public Libraries’ website.

THE PETTING ZOO IS BACK! Instruments donated by Portman’s Music will be provided for kids to get a hands-on feel of what it’s like to play a stringed instrument at the conclusion of our program.

Locations and Times

Rincon Library, Monday, June 21, 2010 @ 1:00 PM
Springfield Library, Monday, June 21, 2010 @ 2:30 PM
Bull St. Library, Monday, June 21, 2010 @ 5:00 PM

Thunderbolt Library, Tuesday, June 22, 2010 @ 11:30 AM
Islands Library, Tuesday, June 22, 2010 @ 1:00 PM
Tybee Library, Tuesday, June 22, 2010, @ 3:00 PM

Pooler Library, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 10:30 AM
Port City Library, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 12:30 PM
Southwest Chatham Library, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 2:30 PM
Oglethorpe Mall Library, Wednesday, June 23, 2010 @ 4:00 PM

West Broad Library, Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 10:30 AM
Carnegie Library, Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 1:00 PM
Midway Library, Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 4:00 PM
Hinesville Library, Thursday, June 24, 2010 @ 6:00 PM

(Click on Sanford’s picture to go to his personal website)
Stanford was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1986 to Adrienne and Willie Thompson. He was the seventh of eight children and began his studies on the trumpet when he was eight years old. During middle and high school, Stanford was a member of the DeKalb Youth Symphony, Metropolitan Youth Symphony and Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestras, Atlanta Trumpet Ensemble and Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony where he performed in China, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria and all over the United States. In high school, Stanford studied with Dr. Gordon Vernick, Christopher Martin and Joseph Walthall. Outside of his musical activities, he created and ran Phinical Web Designs, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and served as the co-founding director of operations for the annual Atlanta Trumpet Festival.

Stanford continued his musical studies and earned a Bachelor of Music from The Curtis Institute of Music where he held the William A. Loeb fellowship. While in Philadelphia, he had the opportunity to perform with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C and recorded on the Ondine label with Christoph Eschenbach. Stanford also appeared as soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Ocean City Pops Orchestra and the North Springs Philharmonic. He has lead residencies with Philos Brass in Milford, Pennsylvania and Atlanta, Georgia where they performed recitals and outreach presentations, presented master classes, and conducted clinics. In the jazz idiom, Stan has performed for the Berks Jazz Festival, performed on the Washington College Concert Series and presented for the opening gala of the Philadelphia Orchestra with the Rittenhouse Jazz Quintet.

Outside of his performing career, Mr. Thompson also enjoys an active schedule of community engagement events that has lead to over one hundred presentations, master classes and lectures around the world. In addition to serving as the founding director of operations of the Atlanta Trumpet Festival, Mr. Thompson is the founding artistic director of the Reading Summer Music Institute and the Philadelphia All-City Brass Symposium. Stanford also helped to implement one of the first instrumental music programs in Kenya through the Meru Instrumental Music Project where he trained music teachers, taught children and continues to consult and guide the program. He also manages professional music ensembles, maintains a private trumpet studio and consults musicians and musical organizations around the world. Stanford is currently a Jose Abreu fellow at the New England Conservatory, where he is working closely to develop El Sistema inspired music programs in Kenya, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

Brent Price earned his Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of Paul Kantor in 2004. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of David Russell in 2002. Originally from Miami, Florida, Mr. Price began his formal violin studies at age nine with Susan Fink and former teachers include Felicia Moye, Sergiu Schwartz, Todor Pelev and Kathy Meng-Robinson. He has been a featured soloist with the Greater Miami Youth Symphony in 1992 and 1994, where he also served as their Concertmaster, and with the New World School of the Arts Symphony in 1998. Past music festivals attended have included Spoleto, Aspen Music Festival, Encore, Chautauqua, Interlochen, and he is an alumnus of the New York String Orchestra Seminar at Carnegie Hall. At the Aspen Music Festival he has been featured in several concerts from the festival’s Young Artists concert series as well as had radio broadcasts of those performances on KJAX Aspen. In November 2003, Mr. Price was invited to perform in The Michael Tilson Thomas Workshop: Music of Aaron Copland which culminated in performances at Carnegie Hall including Carnegie’s new hall Zankel Hall which opened the prior month of 2003. He has been a member of the Cleveland Opera Orchestra, Red {an orchestra} for the seasons of 2002-2004 and is a guest performer with Eos Orchestra in NYC for 2004-2005. In the summer of 2004 Mr. Price served as the Associate Concertmaster of the National Repertory Orchestra and soloed with them throughout the summer. In September of 2004 Mr. Price began a position with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

Jocelyn received her Bachelors and Masters degree in music performance from Indiana University, and wrapped up her post-graduate studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts where she studied with John Sharp. She was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra for two years, ending her final year as co-principal. She has performed with several great orchestras such as the Aspen Chamber and Festival Orchestras, Music Now, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Miami Symphony, and she was recently a featured soloist with the Advent Chamber Orchestra for their final concert series. Jocelyn is also an avid chamber musician. This past season, her piano trio gave numerous concerts, some of which included a performance on Chicago’s classical station WFMT, Mostly Music concert series, performance of the Beethoven Triple Concerto in Schaumburg, and a performance/masterclass at UNCP in North Carolina.  For their upcoming season, they will be performing on the prestigious Dame Myra Hess concert series in Chicago, giving a repeat performance on WFMT, and performing on UIC’s concert series. To add to her list of ensembles, Jocelyn will be joining the Accende Ensemble, one of Chicago’s newest chamber groups.  She is currently a member of the Advent Chamber Orchestra, New Millennium Orchestra, International Chamber Artists, Illinois Symphony, and the Illinois Philharmonic.   Jocelyn is also an enthusiastic private cello teacher and has studios at the Music Connection and Apostolic Church of God.

On August 20th-21st, Project 440 will collaborate with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in presenting a seminar, Da Capo, for students in the ASO’s Talent Development Program.

Meaning “from the top,” Da Capo is an educational program designed by Project 440 to empower pre-college aged musicians with the tools they need to become engaging citizens of their communities.  Keeping in line with Project 440’s mission to create community through music, Da Capo is a result of Project 440’s endeavor to make classical music a relevant and integral part of society.  What better way to instill a mindset of thinking to an entire industry than by starting from the top, from the very beginning – the future generations of classical musicians.

The goal of Da Capo is to encourage young people in the field of classical music to make citizenship as much of a priority as proficiency on their instruments.  According to an ICSOM (International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians) study, in 2003 there were 14,601 degrees given in music with only 159 advertised positions in ICSOM orchestras.  It is impossible that every musician aspiring to perform will play in a full time orchestra.  Da Capo introduces a myriad of career paths for burgeoning musicians along with strategies for success in the music profession.  Da Capo has three main objectives:

Project 440 Artists Perform for Children in Library

• Teach young classical musicians to be ambassadors for the arts

• Share real perspective of the college / conservatory experience providing a “College / Conservatory Survival Kit” for success

• Encourage participants to create and participate in programs that engage their communities

By the end of the seminar, it is our hope that students will be excited about the future that awaits them in music.  They will be equipped with the tools needed to share their gifts both as social ambassadors for the art and as entrepreneurs in the music industry.

Haviland Stillwell, Broadway Singer and Movie & Television Actress

Stanford Thompson, Director -Tune Up Philly & TDP Alum

Clinicians for this Da Capo Seminar will include Project 440 Director,  Joseph Conyers, as well as special guest clinicians Stanford Thompson, an alum of the Talent Development Program, and Broadway star  Haviland Stillwell, movie & television personality.

Project 440 will be presenting Da Capo to other facets of the ASO Learning Community during the 2010-2011 school.  Stay tuned for details.

La Catrina String Quartet

Beginning in May, the La Catrina String Quartet, artists-in-residence at New Mexico State University, are going to begin a spring tour that spans from Seattle to New York City.

Performances are to be held in:

Merkin Concert Hall, NYC — May 4th

Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY — May 5th

Latino Arts, Inc., Milwaukee, WI — May 13th – 14th

University of Washington, Seattle, WA — May 16th -21st

Admiral Theatre, Bremerton, WA — May 22nd

Just since January, in addition to their duties as professors at New Mexico State University, the quartet has given performances and presented residencies in California, Oregon, North Carolina, and Maryland.

For more information on these performances as well as all the information you’d ever want to know about La Catrina (including some exciting audio clips), click here or on the picture above for a link to the official La Catrina Website.

Bravo, Blake & La Catrina!

Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela

El Sistema, which nurtures disadvantaged youth from violence-plagued Caracas, is a shining example to all about the transformative power of music

Click on the text above to read the article out of Toronto, Canada by William Littler.

Come on America.

There is so much potential for a program like this in the United States.  Efforts must be united, and the dialogue must not abate.   Now is an opportunity for ALL musicians: educators, performers, and teaching artists, to join together and transform our communities through music.

Just think of the number of lives that can be touched. As quoted in the article, “Less than 10 per cent of these students become professional musicians. That is not the main purpose of the exercise. What they learn, through music, is a range of life skills, including self-discipline and respect for others.”  The number of children El Sistema has influenced over the years is in the millions.

And for all of the classical music artists who say “what has this got to do with me?”  I recently spoke with a few members of the El Sistema USA Abreu Fellowship Program who just returned from Venezuela observing the program there first hand.   They spoke of diverse audiences.  They spoke of full concert halls.  They told me of kids lined up in droves to catch the myriad of classical music concerts that are offered in some of the cities of Venezuela.  They spoke of excitement.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: This is our opportunity as artists to become ambassadors for our art.  We must strive for the day when cutting music programs is LAST on the agenda of school boards across the country because they find what music contributes to their communities too valuable an asset to simply let go of.

It is up to us.

Many of you have heard this week that the Georgia Council for the Arts, a state government agency that has funded numerous arts organizations in Georgia, is on the brink of annihilation.   The current budget for the GCA is 2.52 million dollars.  That means countless arts organizations and nonprofits are on the brink of having the carpet pulled from beneath them.   Georgia is on its way to having the unique distinction of being the ONLY state in this country without an arts agency.  To read more, click here for an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.   Many arts related nonprofits  have received or currently receive funds from the Georgia Council for the Arts.

There are a few ways to become involved:

We’ve been notified via Facebook that there is a planned rally at the capitol on Monday from 1-3.  Click here for more details.

Here is an email we received on the matter:

P440 Artist Ryan Murphy (cello) & Jory Herman (bass)

This weekend, Project 440 Artists Ryan Murphy (cello) and Allie Osborne (violin) performed on the Millennium Stage at  the Kennedy Center for a National Symphony Orchestra Prelude Concert.   The NSO Prelude Concerts precede NSO performances with various chamber music programs provided by both musicians in the orchestra as well as some of their friends and colleagues outside of the orchestra.  Allie Osborne is currently in her very first season as a first violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra.  Allie and Ryan were joined by bassist Jory Herman in a fantastic program full of variety and finesse.  The concert was aired live via webcast on Saturday, and to the delight of all who may have missed it this weekend, the entire 45 minute concert has been archived!  Click here to watch the program on the NSO’s website.   Click on the names of either Allie or Ryan for their bios.  Jory is a graduate of Rice University, is a New World Symphony alumnus, and will begin next fall as the newest member of the San Diego Symphony double bass section.  BRAVO to all on such a fantastic opportunity and delightfully wonderful concert.