CD Recording Project with WFMT Chicago

We're totally excited about our second CD recording, which will be released on WFMT Classical Chicago's Recording Label. The CD will feature Pulitzer-Prize winning composer Richard Wernick's Cello Concerto and sextet, in a special collaboration with the Chicago-based Rembrandt Chamber Players Septet.
Cello soloist will be renowned Lyric Opera cellist Barbara Haffner.

Please tune in or come to our upcoming live broadcast from the Morse Theater on WFMT Radio on Sunday, March 1st at 11:00am, or come to our second concert on March 5th at Roosevelt University's Ganz Hall.


Composer Richard Wernick

Call for Scores

Hi!
We're absolutely thrilled to announce the results of this season's Call for Scores.

The winning composer is:
Jesus Torres (Spain) for his work Poetica.

Poetica will be performed on our upcoming concert on March 5th, 2009 - stay tuned for more details!

The jury for the 2008 Call for Scores included members of the Millennium Chamber Players, joined by composers
Augusta Read Thomas, Bernard Rands, Kyung Mee Choi and George Flynn.

The following finalists were awarded a special distinction by our jury:
David Adamcyk (Canada) for his work Les Pampres De La Tonelle
and

Miguel Villanueva Hering (Spain) for his work Concierto Para Once Instrumentos


Honorable Mention:

Clifton Callender (Tallahassee, America) for his work Chamber Concerto

Amos Elkana (Tel Aviv, Israel) for his work Hommage a Ligeti

Massimo Lauricella (Genova, Italy) for his work Le Imaginni Nascoste

Ned McGowan (Amsterdam, Netherlands) for his work Tools

Todd Tarantino (New York City, America) for his work Haziri


Thanks to all the composers who submitted scores, we had over 300 entries with truly spectacular music, and choosing was an exceptionally difficult task this year.

Good News and an Update

Hi MCP-ers,
Its been a while since we've posted, but thats just because we've been so busy coordinating and planning projects for our exciting season this year and next.
A brief update on our news:
Our 2nd Annual Call for Scores was a huge success! All scores have now been cataloged and entered into our database, they will be judged in late December and updates posted on the website as soon as our jury panel reaches its decision. Thank you to all the composers who sent us music, we are looking forward to getting to know you better!

Our principal keyboardist, Irina Feoktistova, has released a CD on MSR classics entitled Poems & Fairy Tales. This beautiful album contains music by Scriabin and Medtner, and is not to be missed!



And in more good new, our Artistic Director, Robert Katkov-Trevino, has been selected as a conductor fellow for this year's festival at Aspen.

Bravo all round, and happy holidays,
MCP

We are now 501 (c) 3!!!!

Dear Friends of MCP,
We have now officially become a tax exempt 501(c)3 organization! Details about the party will be posted very soon - definitely reason to celebrate...

In other news, composers visiting this blog, please take a look at our "Call for Scores" which opened about a week ago - full details on our website.


About:

The Millennium Chamber Players are seeking new works for performance. We are interested in scores ranging from solo to chamber orchestra to program on our 2008-2009 concert season.

Application Deadline:

December 1st , 2008 (Postmark)

Details:

Up to three winning pieces will be selected for performance during the Millennium Chamber Player’s 2008-2009 concert series. In addition to receiving a non-commercial CD recording, one or more composers may be offered a commissioned by the Millennium Chamber Players to write a new work for performance in 2009-2010.

MCP 2008-2009 Season, Residencies, News, etc

Hi Folks!
Its been a while since we've posted - hope y'all had a great Summer. MCP sure did - with our Canada tour and many other exciting developments. An update:
We're thrilled to announce that we will be the ENSEMBLE IN RESIDENCE at two of Chicago's most high profile institutions this season: The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, and Columbia College's Sherwood Conservatory.

Our residencies will include concerts, workshops and co-productions together with curators, artists, musicians and faculty members from all institutions.

The Renaissance Society: Founded in 1915, The Society's mission is to encourage the growth and understanding of contemporary art through exhibitions, publications, and events.
The Society presents art seldom seen in the midwest, giving the public opportunities to investigate the most recent developments in contemporary art. At the same time, the museum is equally committed to fostering the development of Chicago's own rich artistic resources. All programs are guided by the goal of maintaining The Society's integrity as one of the finest resources of vanguard art in the nation.



Sherwood Conservatory of Music, an urban center for comprehensive community music education. A member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, the Conservatory trains gifted young musicians who anticipate careers in music, beginning and amateur musicians of all ages, preschool children and parents, and professional musicians and music educators seeking continuing education.



Stay tuned for more info on our season opening concerts as part of the Chicago Center for Latino Culture's Festival of Latino Music.

Fantastic Canada Tour, Eh?

Bonjour!
We're back in Chicago after our first INTERNATIONAL TOUR! Performing in Canada was a terrific experience - our concerts in Toronto and in Montreal were very well received, and everyone had a great time.
Arthur Kaptainis, critic of the Montreal Gazette, writes:

"...the performance Thursday by the Millennium Chamber Players from Chicago should be remembered as a worthy outing. The big item was Eight Songs for Mad King, an avant-garde classic of 1968 by Peter Maxwell Davies. Never mind "eight songs." This is a continuous, ranting monologue by George III at his sequestered worst, full of gravelly growling and high-wire falsetto, very much the music of mental illness. Complete with creepy robes and gaunt makeup, the baritone (in this case, the prodigiously convincing Brad Jungwirth) is required to stalk the stage (or chancel) in a menacing way, getting particularly close to the flutist, whom he interprets to be a bird (Kim Sopata kept her cool). If there is a dramatic climax, one supposes it must be George’s destruction, à la Pete Townshend, of a violin. A cheapie, I guess, but theatrics along these lines are not likely to curry favour with music-lovers. All the same, the exhausting piece (with music-hall elements as well as much hardcore "mad" dissonance) made its point. Conductor Robert Katkov-Trevino paced it with assurance."

Read the complete review here


The MCP Gang outside of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal

Canada Canada Canada!

Hi there!
Its been a while since we've posted, but thats only because we've had so many irons in the fire... where shall we start?

* The Canadian Consulate in Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center have generously agreed to become our "Partnership Supporters" by supporting our Canada Day Concert at the Chicago Cultural Center (or should we say "Centre") on July 21st at 12:00 PM. The program will feature music by internationally renowned Canadian Composer Rodney Sharman as well as music by Alex Berezowsky and Mike LaCroix, Chicago-based composers of Canadian origin, both on the cusp of major careers.

* We will be going on our first international tour in early August to Canada - we'll be performing at the "Up to Your Ears" festival in Montreal and at two venues in Toronto, featuring extraordinary baritone singer Brad Jungwirth. We'll post more info about the precise locations soon, in French and in English.