About Argento

Argento Chamber Ensemble

The Argento Chamber Ensemble is the performance arm of the Argento New Music Project. Consisting of nine dedicated members, the ensemble regularly expands to perform and record chamber orchestra works of up to thirty musicians, and has established a reputation for delivering unforgettable performances.

The Ensemble has toured widely in the US and abroad in festivals including the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the International Festival of Spectral Music in Istanbul, Turkey, the American Festival of Microtonal Music in New York, Sounds French Festival in New York, The Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland, and the International Festival of Electro-acoustic music, Shanghai. Tours to Asia and the Middle East included collaborations with non-Western musicians such as singer Kani Karaça.

The group has worked closely with leading composers such as Pierre Boulez, Tania Leon, Tristan Murail, Elliott Carter, Philippe Hurel, Gerard Pesson, Joshua Fineberg, and Philippe Leroux, and has collaborated with younger emerging composers internationally and at leading universities such as Columbia, Princeton, and Stonybrook.

The Ensemble’s first recording, featuring the music of Tristan Murail, was released in January of 2007 on the AEON label with distribution through Harmonia Mundi. The recording immediately received critical acclaim worldwide. Recordings of Philippe Hurel and Alexandre Lunsqui are slated for release in the 2008–2009 season. The ensemble has also recorded surround sound installation works, and has produced a complete video and audio recording of Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire for online education.

Argento’s reputation has been the result of its long history as a chamber ensemble since 2000, demanding technical preparation, and a probing interpretive commitment to the music. Independent of commercial endeavors, the Ensemble relies on the hard work of its musicians, board members, and your generous support.

Biographies

Michel Galante, conductor

Michel Galante has performed as principal, guest, and assistant conductor with orchestras and ensembles in the US, Canada, and Europe. He is a doctoral candidate in composition at Columbia University. His composition awards include Hertz, Fulbright, and Mellon fellowships, and prizes from ASCAP and the Composer’s Guild.

Erin Lesser, flute

Erin Lesser performs as soloist and chamber musician throughout Canada, Europe, and the US. Actively involved in contemporary music, she has given the American premieres of works by Murail, Hurel, and Holliger, and worked with Boulez, Crumb, and Mackey. Her performances have been broadcast on CBC’s “Jeunes Artistes” series and New York’s WQXR.

Carol McGonnell, clarinet

Dublin-born clarinetist Carol McGonnell has a growing reputation as a solo performer and chamber musician in both the United States and Europe. She has performed in both capacities with numerous ensembles across the world. Her involvement in new music has brought her work with leading composers such as Elliott Carter, Oliver Knussen, Lukas Foss, and Tristan Murail. She has recorded on RCA.

Tim Albright, trombone

Originally from the Napa Valley, Tim Albright moved to New York in 1999 where he enjoys a diverse freelance career on the trombone. He graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 1998 with degrees in classical and jazz performance. In addition to performing with Argento, he tours regularly with alto saxophonist Steve Coleman.

Joanna Chao, piano

Joanna Chao has appeared in concerts across the Americas, France, Switzerland, Spain, and Turkey, and performed as soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and New Britain Symphony Orchestra. She performs in many New York venues, including Carnegie Weill. Her awards include a La Gesse Fellowship. Ms. Chao has been featured on radio stations KKHI, KQED, and the cable TV program “Grand Piano.”

Matt Ward, percussion

Matt Ward has performed with groups such as the Boston Symphony, Albany Symphony, and New World Symphony. His awards include a Ridley-Tree Fellowship at the Music Academy of the West. He has shared the stage with Emmanuel Ax at Lincoln Center and performed as soloist with the North Shore Philharmonic. He can be heard on the recording labels Argo, Newport Classics, and Winston Ma.

Miranda Cuckson, violin

Miranda Cuckson has worked closely with many of the great composers of the present era, performing the concertos of Carter, Dutilleux, and Picker. Her solo performances have included the Indianapolis and Shanghai Symphonies, among others. Centaur Records released her CD of the Korngold and Ponce concertos to critical praise. Ms. Cuckson made her recital debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall last season.

Stephanie Griffin, viola

Canadian violist Stephanie Griffin has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, and as a champion of Indonesian composer Tony Prabowo. Reflecting her wide-ranging musical interests, performances have led her across the globe to Belgium, Estonia, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Turkey. Ms. Griffin has recorded for Siam Records, Aeon, Koch International, Arte Nova and Harmolodic.

Michael Klingbeil, electronics

Michael Klingbeil is a composer actively involved with concert music and computer music research. His work has been recorded on ICMC and has been played by ensemble include the Oberlin CME, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Orchestre Lyrique de Région Avignon-Provence. Honors and awards have come from First Music, the Concorso Internazionale “Luigi Russolo,” and ASCAP. He currently teaches composition and music technology in the Department of Music at Yale University.

Argento New Music Project

Argento New Music Project (ANMP) is a tax-exempt, non-profit music organization. Our mission is to confront important issues in contemporary Western music through production and education. Argento New Music Project engages in the production of concerts, music festivals, recordings, educational events, and instructional materials. Argento has, since 2001, been committed to sharing our music with the community, both local and global. ANMP has:

independently produced critically acclaimed concerts at leading concert venues in New York: Carnegie Hall, Miller Theater, and Merkin Concert Hall.
Collaborated closely with foreign cultural organizations, including the Austrian Cultural Forum, the French Consulate, and the Italian Academy.
coordinated student internships for potential arts administrators.
produced audio and video recordings for Columbia University’s educational interactive website, which has been used by more than 3,000 students.
organized free performances with post-concert talks in New York public schools, including underserved areas in Harlem and Brooklyn.
collaborated with and performed in a disaster relief concert to raise funds for effected families immediately after 9/11.
produced, in collaboration with UNICEF, the Indian Ocean Tsunami Relief Benefit Concert in February, 2005. Argento raised thousands of dollars for UNICEF’s relief efforts in Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka.
produced, in collaboration with Octaeva, LLC an international consulting firm, CD recordings and visual artworks which were given to teachers and schools in Indonesia, India, and Sri Lanka for use as positive, creative tools.
produced recordings for prominent labels including Plus Loin, Gravina Musica and Aeon.
organized lectures and master classes for students in Turkey and China about the latest developments in new Western music.