Role

:

Ensemble

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Vocal

 

Southwest Chamber Music is a Grammy Award-winning classical music ensemble based in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1986 by artistic director Jeff von der Schmidt and executive director Jan Karlin, the group has become known for its innovative programming, commitment to contemporary music, and collaborations with artists from diverse cultural backgrounds. The origins of Southwest Chamber Music can be traced back to the early 1980s, when von der Schmidt and Karlin were both working at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. They shared a passion for chamber music and a desire to create a new kind of ensemble that would be more flexible and responsive to the needs of contemporary composers and audiences. In 1986, von der Schmidt and Karlin founded Southwest Chamber Music with a core group of six musicians: violinists Lorenz Gamma and Shalini Vijayan, violist Jan Karlin, cellist Peter Jacobson, flutist Susan Greenberg, and pianist Gayle Blankenburg. The group quickly established a reputation for its adventurous programming, which included both classic works by composers like Beethoven and Mozart and new pieces by living composers from around the world. One of the hallmarks of Southwest Chamber Music's approach to programming is its commitment to exploring the connections between different musical traditions and cultures. Over the years, the group has collaborated with artists from a wide range of backgrounds, including Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man, Indian classical musicians Aashish Khan and Swapan Chaudhuri, and Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz. In addition to its collaborations with other artists, Southwest Chamber Music has also commissioned and premiered numerous new works by contemporary composers. Some of the most notable of these include John Cage's "Four," which the group premiered in 1991, and Chinary Ung's "Aura," which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1989. Over the years, Southwest Chamber Music has performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues and festivals, including the Ojai Music Festival, the Library of Congress, and the Edinburgh International Festival. The group has also released numerous recordings, including a complete cycle of Beethoven's string quartets and a series of albums featuring the music of Lou Harrison. In 2005, Southwest Chamber Music received one of the highest honors in the classical music world when it won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for its recording of Harrison's "Pacifika Rondo." The group has also been recognized with numerous other awards and honors, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council. Despite the challenges facing classical music ensembles in the 21st century, Southwest Chamber Music has continued to thrive and evolve. In recent years, the group has expanded its outreach and education programs, working with schools and community organizations to bring classical music to new audiences and inspire the next generation of musicians. Today, Southwest Chamber Music remains one of the most innovative and respected classical music ensembles in the world. With its commitment to new music, cross-cultural collaboration, and community engagement, the group continues to push the boundaries of what a classical music ensemble can be and achieve.

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