Be sure to see two local groups who are doing their best to keep Classical Music alive and relevant.
Come out to Ravenswood Manor park for The Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 7 for The Temporal Brass Quintet, and Ursa Ensemble, starting at 7 PM.
The Temporal Brass Quintet bio are a professional, performing brass quintet with a primary focus on the performance of new, cutting-edge works, brass education, and performance coaching by using the “classics” of brass quintet repertoire to ultimately aid in the performance of modern art music. We use music as a tool for community outreach, and we enjoy playing just about anything, from Bach to the blues.
The Ursa Ensemble is a Chicago based Chamber group that seeks to present uncommon music to our audiences in unique ways, in unconventional places, and with individual interpretations. The Ursa ensemble is currently in its third official season, and has performed at a variety of locations across the Midwest, including Constellation Chicago, Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, DePaul University School of Music, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the DANK Haus, Tavern of Fine Arts, The Musical Offering, PianoForte Studios, Narloch Piano Studio, and the Ravenswood Fellowship United Methodist Church.
Ursa Ensemble members are fiercely dedicated to making Western Art Music less intimidating, but still deeply moving, to the uninitiated listener. Their flagship Collaboration in Concert series gives listeners the opportunity to create a unique art piece under the tutelage of a professional painter, poet, author, photographer, or other artist, while gaining direction from the ensemble’s live music. CIC events have led the Ursas into all sorts of arenas, allowing them to work with and perform for an extremely diverse audience: elementary school students at Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School in Chicago’s low-income, Austin neighborhood; college students at Harold Washington College in the Loop; young writers-in-the-making at 826CHI; even trendy bar-hoppers at the Tavern of Fine Arts in St. Louis. Past CIC events have involved collaborations with artists in a wide arrange of expertises, including photographer Michael Schoeneweis, author Michael San Gabino, printmaker Sarah Adams, abstract creator Shawn Lucas, and painter Melanie Brown. Nicholas Jeffery began viola lessons in the Indiana public school system and continued his studies with Catherine Carroll and Masao Kawasaki at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. In 2010 he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where his main teacher was Sally Chisholm. Dr. Jeffery has been a member of the Madison Symphony orchestra, served as principal viola of the Round Rock Symphony in Texas, and performed regularly with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. An active chamber musician, Dr. Jeffery helped to found the Quartet of Outsiders in Austin, TX, as well as being invited to appear as a guest artist with the Chamber Music in the Pines Festival, the Oakwood Chamber Players, and the Heart Strings Ensemble in Madison, WI. Currently, he serves as principal viola of the Illinois Symphony orchestra. Rachel Brown is an active chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer, and educator. After three years as a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, she is now the Associate Principal Second Violin of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and also performs with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Previously, she held the Associate Concertmaster chair with the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra. Rachel is dedicated to continuing the existence of art music by performing and commissioning contemporary works. She has given countless world premiers, has performed with ensembles such as Ensemble Dal Niente, Fifth House Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, and Ensemble 20+, and has worked with world-renowned composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, Bernard Rands, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Rodolfo Acosta, Pierce Gradone, and Mathias Spahlinger.
This show is free, part of the Summer Concert Series presented by the Horner Park Advisory Council and the Chicago Park District, and is sponsored by The Ravenswood Manor Improvement Association and Dreamtown Realty.
