A quintet with an additional percussionist, the Chicago-based Eighth Blackbird was formed to accommodate the instrumentation of a classic piece of 20th-century modernism, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. They burst into the American musical scene in 1998, when they won the Concert Artists Guild’s competition.
The ensemble, which works in close collaboration with such other art forms as dance, theatre, production design and puppetry, has commissioned and premiered over a hundred new works, including compositions by David Lang, Steven Mackey and Missy Mazzoli. Their production of Double Sextet, which Steve Reich wrote for the group, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
It is safe to say Eighth Blackbird – like Amadinda – have written musical history for the past two decades, and will continue to do so at the CAFe Budapest Festival.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Philadelphia Orchestra for three performances of Jennifer Higdon’s concerto On a Wire.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Philadelphia Orchestra for three performances of Jennifer Higdon’s concerto On a Wire.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Philadelphia Orchestra for three performances of Jennifer Higdon’s concerto On a Wire.
Hungarian percussion group Amadinda and Eighth Blackbird join forces for a one-of-a-kind artistic collaboration. This concert celebrates the talent of Hungary and honors an American original, Steve Reich.
Four-time Grammy-winning sextet eighth blackbird is a remarkable band of six virtuosi who together champion the most interesting music of their generation. They will take audiences on a journey through the most exciting new music territory, infusing the experience with adventure, humor, and discovery. Program features two works from the ensemble’s Grammy Award-winning album Filament: Murder Ballades, by Bryce Dessner of the indie rock band The National, and DoubleSpeak, an homage to Phillip Glass by Nico Muhly.
Eighth Blackbird’s mission is to move music forward through innovative performance, advocate for new music by living composers, and create a legacy of guiding an emerging generation of musicians. Launched in 1996, this Chicago-based group has earned its status as “a brand-name…defined by adventure, vibrancy and quality….known for performing from memory, employing choreography and collaborations with theater artists, lighting designers and even puppetry artists” (Detroit Free Press).
The ensemble won the 1998 Concert Artists Guild Competition and over the course of two decades has commissioned and premiered the work of David T. Little, Steven Mackey, Missy Mazzoli, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Steve Reich. Their 20th anniversary in 2016 included a fourth Grammy Award for Best Small/Ensemble/Chamber Music Performance and the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, followed by Chamber Music America’s inaugural Visionary Award, and Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year in 2017.
Eighth Blackbird served as Music Director of the 2009 Ojai Music Festival, has held residencies at the Curtis Institute of Music and at the University of Chicago, and it holds an ongoing Ensemble-in-Residence position at the University of Richmond. The 2015-16 season featured a pioneering residency at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art: a living installation with open rehearsals, performances, guest artists, and public talks. Eighth Blackbird launched its most ambitious educational venture yet in June 2017: The Blackbird Creative Lab, an annual tuition-free two-week intensive for emerging artists at the Besant Hill School in Ojai, California.
The Vail Series presents contemporary classical ensemble Eighth Blackbird. What a year this ensemble has had! Eighth Blackbird kicked off its 20th anniversary in 2016, quickly garnering a fourth GRAMMY Award as well as the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, followed by Chamber Music America’s inaugural Visionary Award, and Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year (2017). AND Billboard magazine just issued ‘Top 10 Reasons the NEA should not be defunded.’ Eighth Blackbird is on the list.
Eighth blackbird is a remarkable band of six virtuosi who together champion the most interesting music of their generation. They will take audiences on a journey through the most exciting new music territory, infusing the experience with adventure, humor and discovery. There isn’t a hotter group on the scene today, and we’re thrilled to have them at Denison for the 2017/2018 Vail Series finale.
The 2016–17 Mastercard Performance Series in Weill Hall runs from October 1, 2016 through May 5, 2017 and features artists ranging from orchestras; chamber ensembles; violinists, pianists, and vocalists; as well as jazz, world music, and ethnic dance.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Cincinnati Ballet for three performances as part of the Ballet’s “Bold Moves” series.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Cincinnati Ballet for three performances as part of the Ballet’s “Bold Moves” series.
Eighth Blackbird joins the Cincinnati Ballet for three performances as part of the Ballet’s “Bold Moves” series.