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The Chicago Composers Consortium returns to the Floating Lounge this May for a sneak peak at two new pieces written for us by composers Elizabeth Start and Lawrence Axelrod.
Elizabeth Start
Lawrence Axelrod
You may recall that our concert featuring the premiere of Bernard Rands’ new string quartet – and the Consortium member’s miniatures that were written in response to it – was an early casualty of the pandemic. So it is with great pleasure that we offer you these interactive listening parties during which we’ll perform excerpts of each of these new works in pairs and get a chance to look inside them with the composers.
We’ll kick things off by having Betsy and Larry play recordings of some of their previous works, so we can all immerse ourselves in their respective sound worlds before hearing about the challenges and unexpected felicities around reacting sonically to another composer’s piece. Then, we’ll perform excerpts of both for you, giving you the opportunity to not only hear about the music, but actually hear the music.
The Floating Lounge is a community-focused, online listening party series produced by Spektral Quartet to bring curious listeners together during a time of isolation. Events feature high-quality streaming audio, special guests, and an interactive format that invites listeners to join in on the conversation.
About Elizabeth Start
Elizabeth Start (aka Betsy) holds bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and cello from Oberlin, master’s degrees in cello and theory/composition from Northern Illinois University, and a PhD in composition from the University of Chicago.
She spent 15 years living and free-lancing as a cellist, composer and teacher in the Chicago area, teaching at many institutions, including DePaul University and Columbia College.
As a performer, she has premiered over 100 works. As a composer, she has received numerous grants and commissions and over 500 performances of over 140 works in the U.S. and abroad. While living in Chicago, she performed on many concerts with Ralph Shapey’s Contemporary Chamber Players, for American Women Composers, CUBE, and New Music Chicago.
She returned to her hometown of Kalamazoo, MI in 2001, where she is a cellist with the Kalamazoo Symphony, Executive Director of the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Kalamazoo Federation of Musicians, Local 228, AFM. She continues her activities in Illinois with the Elgin Symphony, and as a member of Musicians Club of Women and the Chicago Composers’ Consortium. She recently completed a commission for the Kalamazoo Symphony’s 100th anniversary season in 2020-21. www.elizabethstart.com
About Lawrence Axelrod
A review in Opera News states that Lawrence Axelrod is “a ... composer whose fresh and distinctive music deserves to be more widely known.” He is a composer, pianist and conductor. Mr Axelrod’s musical activities have taken him around the United States, Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Mr. Axelrod has had works done by ~Nois, the London Sylvan Ensemble, Clocks in Motion and The Chicago Composers Orchestra in recent seasons. His music for The Scroll of Morlok was included in the Sound of Silent Film Festival presented by Access Contemporary Music in 2018.
Mr. Axelrod is a founder and current member of the Chicago Composers’ Consortium. He is also the creator of Opera Adventures.
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