Akropolis Reed Quintet_ 2024-25_Biographies.pdf

Winner of the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award, Akropolis has engaged more than 40,000 youth during its 13-year history, including an annual, yearlong residency at three high schools in their home Detroit community. As an independent nonprofit they have received grants from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and many individuals nationwide to support their educational programming, which comprises a noteworthy portion of their activity.&nbsp;Akropolis delivers fast-paced and informative workshops, including its “The Best Story” presentation for elementary schools, featuring a musical reenactment of the Eileen Spinelli children’s book. At the middle and high school level, Akropolis gives performances, coachings, Q&amp;A's, and offers a side-by-side band concerto by Peter Terry.&nbsp;“I am in awe of your genius in this educational arena and excited for all the young lives that you will impact and change because you are first and foremost extraordinary artists who are bringing that excellence and meticulous preparation and execution to the educational arena.”-Kathy Soroka, Allegheny RiverStone Center for Arts Education

K-12 Education

Akropolis believes that "quality" in classical music comes not only from the technical competency of the performers, but of the relevance an artist creates within their community. To do this, Akropolis engages their communities nationwide through experiences informed by the communities they serve. This includes collaborating with community members on new musical works, including&nbsp;so much more, featuring interviews with local business owners, and&nbsp;Sprocket, featuring a rideable percussion bike created by scrap metal artist, Juan Martinez. They commissioned new work from Detroit poet Marsha Music, and in their travels have performed with guest percussionists in several communities.&nbsp;Akropolis has performed at dozens of workplaces during its Detroit Workplace Concert Series, including hospitals, factories, tech companies, and more. They have performed in juvenile&nbsp;detention centers, homeless shelters, development centers, and senior care centers. They have given dozens of outdoor performances at parks and other pop-up locations, including grocery stores and farmers markets. They have given house concerts, backyard concerts, and concerts on river walks and bike paths.&nbsp; &nbsp;Each concert is custom-designed with community input and shaped to reflect the vibrancy of the community.&nbsp;

Community Engagement

Based on Akropolis' 8 year of experience teaching and entrepreneurship and career development, including courses at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Michigan State University College of Music, Akropolis created&nbsp;<a href="https://akropolisquintet.org/mastermind/">Akropolis Mastermind</a>&nbsp;in 2019 and since then have engaged 22 early career artists and over 80 participants&nbsp;in this weeklong career development workshop.&nbsp;Please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://akropolisquintet.org/mastermind">akropolisquintet.org/mastermind</a>&nbsp;to read the testimonials from these participants' experiences.&nbsp;At the university level, Akropolis provides customized workshops derived from their Mastermind, including sessions on health and sustainability, marketing/branding, financial planning, project development, and more.&nbsp;Akropolis also delivers inspiring master classes, reads and premieres works by student composers, and has even collaborated with college students in performance.&nbsp;

Akropolis Mastermind (University)

Akropolis Reed Quintet—Photos for Public Download.zip

Akropolis Reed Quintet

large__Preferred photo_ Akropolis 2024-Photo Credit Jason Walker-1.jpg

medium__Preferred photo_ Akropolis 2024-Photo Credit Jason Walker-1.jpg

small__Preferred photo_ Akropolis 2024-Photo Credit Jason Walker-1.jpg

thumbnail__Preferred photo_ Akropolis 2024-Photo Credit Jason Walker-1.jpg

_Preferred photo_ Akropolis 2024-Photo Credit Jason Walker-1.jpg

Palaver Strings_2024-25_Biographies.pdf

What exactly is “classical” music? Join Palaver Strings for an engaging presentation exploring string music by Bach, Mozart, and Haydn, as well as groundbreaking voices of the modern age. This 45-minute workshop introduces the sounds of the string instrument family (violin, viola, cello, and bass), as well as the diverse voices, eras, and styles under the classical umbrella, with an emphasis on music by women and composers of color. This presentation is designed for grades K-8, with no prior musical experience required.

Outside The Bachs (Grades K-8)

Designed for school orchestra students, this workshop puts Palaver Strings musicians side by side with students, introducing the fundamentals of chamber music and conductorless ensemble playing. We also introduce the concept of improvisation and spontaneity as tools for creative musical expression. This 60-minute workshop is designed for grades 4-12, with some prior string instrument study required. Repertoire will be chosen in consultation with the school’s orchestra director/string teacher and tailored to the age and experience of the students.&nbsp;

SideXSide (Grades 4-12)

Hear the classic story of Ferdinand the Bull with a full string orchestra and narrator! With music by Alan Ridout and text by Munro Leaf, Ferdinand the Bull tells the story of a young bull who feels different from others, and eventually learns to accept himself for who he truly is. This 10-15 minute performance is designed for students age 5-10, with no prior music experience required. Palaver Strings or the host organization may provide a narrator.

Ferdinand The Bull (Ages 5-10)

Join Palaver Strings for an engaging and hands-on experience that empowers students to unleash their creativity! Guided by experienced musicians, participants will explore music through interactive activities such as instrument-making and painting to live music.&nbsp; This multi-sensory approach encourages students to explore and experiment freely. These 45-60 minute workshops can be customized according to age group, with no prior musical experience required. Additional costs for materials may apply, depending on the activities involved.

Touching Sound

Music and emotion are inextricably linked; music evokes a wide range of emotions in listeners, from happiness to sadness to excitement to calm. Join Palaver Strings in an interactive concert of music and emotion through active listening, musical expression, movement, and mindfulness.This 45-minute presentation is designed for students ages 5-9. No prior musical experience is required.

Harmony of the Heart (Ages 5-9)

Creative collaboration brings together people from different backgrounds, skills, and experiences. This 60-minute workshop/performance features Palaver Strings and collaborating artists, and includes a short performance and discussion of musical style, cultural values, power dynamics, and strategies for equitable collaboration across cultures, genres, and artistic disciplines. Examples of collaborating artists include Kinan Azmeh (clarinet/composer/improviser), Heather Stewart (modern dance), Chris Pattishall (jazz pianist), and Lauren Stevens (traditional Wabanaki song). This presentation is designed for students age 8 and up, with no prior musical experience required. Note that this workshop is dependent on the availability of collaborators, must be booked at least one year in advance, and that additional costs for guest artists may apply. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Come Together: Palaver and Friends (Ages 8+)

Palaver Strings—Photos for Public Download.zip

Palaver Strings

large_2_Palaver Strings_Photo Credit_Titilayo Ayangade.jpg

medium_2_Palaver Strings_Photo Credit_Titilayo Ayangade.jpg

small_2_Palaver Strings_Photo Credit_Titilayo Ayangade.jpg

thumbnail_2_Palaver Strings_Photo Credit_Titilayo Ayangade.jpg

2_Palaver Strings_Photo Credit_Titilayo Ayangade.jpg

<h2>Akropolis Reed Quintet &amp; Palaver Strings Score Their First Grammy Nominations</h2><hr>Ariel Artists congratulates roster artists <a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/akropolis-reed-quintet">Akropolis Reed Quintet</a> and <a href="https://www.arielartists.com/artists/palaver-strings">Palaver Strings</a> on their nominations for the <a href="https://hellorayo.co.uk/magic-classical/entertainment/music-events/grammys-2025-the-nominations-announced/">67th Grammy Awards</a>. The Akropolis Reed Quintet received a nomination for Best Instrumental Composition, and Palaver Strings for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. The 67th Grammy Awards mark the first Grammy nomination for both ensembles. We are honored to celebrate these extraordinary artists, whose works embody visionary thinking, boundless creativity, authentic curiosity, vivid imagination, and remarkable virtuosity.&nbsp;&nbsp;CATEGORIESBest Instrumental Composition – Akropolis Reed Quintet"Strands" – Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf &amp; Christian Euman)Best Classical Solo Vocal Album – Palaver StringsA Change Is Gonna Come – Nicholas Phan, soloist; Palaver Strings, ensembles&nbsp;<hr><h3>To book the Akropolis Reed Quintet and Palaver Strings, please contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:eric@arielartists.com?subject=Akropolis%20%26%20Palaver%20Booking%20Inquiry">Eric Giles</a>.</h3>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/akropolis-reed-quintet-announce-6th-album-'are-we-dreaming-the-same-dream'">To read more about the album, Are We Dreaming The Same Dream?, click here.</a><figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:75%;"><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/akropolis-reed-quintet-announce-6th-album-'are-we-dreaming-the-same-dream'" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/2024_BST_Akropolis_Dream_1500x1500_cover_1_c77035bf79.jpg"></a></figure>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/palaver-strings-announce-3rd-album:-'a-change-is-gonna-come'" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The read more about the album, A Change Is Gonna Come, click here.</a><figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:75%;"><a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/palaver-strings-announce-3rd-album:-'a-change-is-gonna-come'" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://d2k153re4i383a.cloudfront.net/Palaver_Strings_Album_Cover_3000x3000px_300dpi_V05_020424_1_987b806477.jpg"></a></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h3>"Ariel Artists shepherds incredible work and is such a touchstone for artists trying to tell impactful stories."&nbsp; –Katie Carroll, Director of Programs, Strings Music Festival</h3>&nbsp;

large_awdtsd.jpeg

medium_awdtsd.jpeg

small_awdtsd.jpeg

thumbnail_awdtsd.jpeg

awdtsd.jpeg

Grammy-nominated, Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?&nbsp; is a “tour-de-force” (I Care If You Listen) of a concert experience that blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and contemporary music, examining what Ralph Ellison calls “the unity of American experience.” With a hybrid ensemble comprised of Akropolis Reed Quintet, pianist/composer Pascal Le Boeuf, and drummer Christian Euman, Le Boeuf deconstructs the fabric of his American experience by recognizing the strands of his musical DNA—Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein. What are the strands that form our collective identity, and are we dreaming the same dream?&nbsp;<h3>"Brilliant writing, exquisitely performed, and ingenuously conceived! Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? is a musical journey that shares a sound world that reveals the deep layers of life experience, and done so in the hands of some real masters of their instruments." ~ Jennifer Higdon, Pulitzer Prize &amp; Grammy Award-Winning Composer</h3>&nbsp;<h3>Concert Repertoire</h3>Pascal Le Boeuf – Are We Dreaming the Same Dream? (full septet) 50′Pascal Le Boeuf – Variations on a Mood (Pascal &amp; Christian) 8'George Gershwin arr. Raaf Hekkema – An American in Paris (Akropolis) 18′Geri Allen arr. Le Boeuf – “RTG” (full septet) 5′Charles Mingus arr. Le Boeuf – “Self-Portrait in Three Colors” (full septet) 7′&nbsp;<h3>Watch Grammy-nominated single, Strands:&nbsp;</h3><figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt9IBnRuLGk"></oembed></figure>&nbsp;Composed by Le Boeuf, the composition draws upon a careful selection of his musical “ancestors”—Geri Allen, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, and Leonard Bernstein—each of whom have historically represented a variety of perspectives concerning the unity of the American experience.&nbsp;As author Ralph Ellison observed, “the most agonizing mystery sponsored by the democratic ideal is that of our unity-in-diversity, our oneness in manyness.”Ellison also described a “unity of American experience beyond all considerations of class, of race, of religion.” More than a half-century later, have we realized this ideal of what it means to be American? Le Boeuf’s concert-length composition asks: Are we really dreaming the same American dream, or is our consumer culture overshadowing our own sense of belonging?&nbsp;<h3>Album Reviews</h3>"Brilliant writing, exquisitely performed, and ingenuously conceived! Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? is a musical journey that shares a sound world that reveals the deep layers of life experience, and done so in the hands of some real masters of their instruments."~Jennifer Higdon Pulitzer Prize &amp; Grammy Award-Winning Composer“It is truly one of the greatest releases I’ve heard in years.”~Mark Dover Grammy Award-Winning Clarinetist, Imani Winds“Imaginative rhythmic inventions and distinctly expressive and lyrical use of the winds' colors makes for both super playful and thoughtful listen! Love the drive and character in the performances!”~Curtis Stewart 4X GRAMMY Nominated Violinist&nbsp;and Composer“A great addition to the wind quintet repertoire with fantastic jazz elements. Brilliant and engaging.”~Elaine Martone 5X Grammy Award-Winning Classical/Jazz Producer"Amazing writing and playing."~Rudresh Mahanthappa Jazz Saxophonist Composer and Guggenheim Fellow“I just love the lushness of the wind writing on this album. Before you get too comfortable enjoying the transporting harmonies, the groove takes you into an intricate vortex, ping ponging between the Akropolis adept players always puppeteered by the drums. Le Boeuf draws a delicate balance between homages to his inspirations, and unique writing that leaves selections feeling reassured, then punchy, then ominous, always exploring the wondrous palette of the reed quintet.”~Mariam Adam Clarinetist&nbsp;(founding member of Imani Winds)&nbsp;<h3>Biographies</h3>Each artist on stage is a powerhouse in their field. Founded in 2009, the Billboard charting, 7-time national prize winning Akropolis Reed Quintet makes music with “infallible musicality and huge vitality” (Fanfare Magazine). Winner of 7 national chamber music prizes including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal, Akropolis has premiered and commissioned over 150 works by living artists and composers. Pascal Le Boeuf is a Grammy-nominated composer, pianist, and producer described as "sleek, new" and "hyper-fluent" by the New York Times. He is widely recognized for his polyrhythmic approach to chamber music and hybridization of disparate idioms. Christian Euman, one of Revive Magazine's "six drummers you should know about," has toured with Jacob Collier, Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Walter Smith III, and Geoff Keezer, among others. He attended the Thelonious Monk Institute where he studied and performed with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chris Potter, Jimmy Heath, and Stefon Harris.

Akropolis Reed Quintet | Pascal Le Boeuf | Christian Euman

Are We Dreaming the Same Dream?

large_08.13.2023_Palaver_0091_edit.jpg

medium_08.13.2023_Palaver_0091_edit.jpg

small_08.13.2023_Palaver_0091_edit.jpg

thumbnail_08.13.2023_Palaver_0091_edit.jpg

08.13.2023_Palaver_0091_edit.jpg

This 3-day residency will explore the expressive potential of collaborative music-making, storytelling, and protest through song, and how themes of hope and justice can connect us with each other. The project will celebrate the release of the&nbsp;Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;album while working closely with local&nbsp;community members to write their own stories through the lens of Palaver's Lifesongs Project. Presenters can choose which community, and which members within that community, would benefit most from participating in the Lifesongs songwriting workshop.&nbsp; Examples of communities could include: an LGBTQ group, an Osher lifelong learning group, an Alateen group, a group of inmates pursuing higher education degrees, etc.&nbsp;After a day of songwriting followed by a day of revision/demoing, Palaver and the community songwriters will offer a culminating public performance of the songs, as well as the process-sharing discussion.&nbsp;Day 1:&nbsp;Lifesongs songwriting workshop. Palaver musicians will work with 3-5 members of the community of your choice to write songs about their life stories or issues that are important to them.Day 2:&nbsp; Lifesongs songwriting revision session and creation of take-home demo recordings. Palaver musicians and participating community members will finish the songs and record demo recordings for the community member's&nbsp;personal use.Day 3:&nbsp;Lifesongs live performance and process-sharing session with public audience, followed by a culminating&nbsp;Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;performance by Palaver Strings and Nicholas Phan&nbsp;A Change is Gonna ComeFeaturing Grammy-nominated tenor Nicholas Phan and Palaver Strings,&nbsp;A Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;explores our country’s rich legacy of protest songs. Repertoire includes traditional songs of protest and music inspired by social movements and historical events, including Nico Muhly’s Stranger, Akenya Seymour’s Fear the Lamb, and the premiere of Errollyn Wallen’s Protest Songs. Spanning genres, eras, and movements, A Change Is Gonna Come confronts our past and present and celebrates protest as one of our most precious rights. Read more about the album release <a href="https://www.arielartists.com/news/palaver-strings-announce-3rd-album:-'a-change-is-gonna-come'" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.&nbsp;RepertoireNico Muhly – Stranger Roberta Slavitt, Alfred Hayes, Malvina Reynolds, arr. Domenic Salerni – Freedom is a Constant Struggle/I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill/It Isn't Nice Harry Burleigh/ Langston Hughes, arr. Ian Gottlieb – Lovely, Dark and Lonely One Abel Meeropol/Billie Holiday, arr. Jonathan Bingham – Strange Fruit Akenya Seymour – Fear the Lamb Bob Dylan, arr. Domenic Salerni – Blowin’ in the Wind Joni Mitchell, Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs, arr. Domenic Salerni – Fiddle and the Drum/Where Have all the Flowers Gone/What Are You Fighting For? Errollyn Wallen – Protest Songs (Project Commission) Sam Cooke, arr. Domenic Salerni – A Change is Gonna Come&nbsp;Reviews“Here’s an entertaining collection of protest songs, old and new. Having them sung by a tenor and string orchestra is a risky prospect on paper; you worry that the originals will be sanitised beyond recognition. Nicholas Phan and Palaver strings avoid the trap: Domenic Salerni’s arrangements are never saccharine.” – Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk

Akropolis Reed Quintet & Palaver Strings Score Their First Grammy Nominations

Akropolis Reed Quintet & Palaver Strings Score Their First Grammy Nominations

To book the Akropolis Reed Quintet and Palaver Strings, please contact Eric Giles.

"Ariel Artists shepherds incredible work and is such a touchstone for artists trying to tell impactful stories."
–Katie Carroll, Director of Programs, Strings Music Festival

Akropolis Reed Quintet & Palaver Strings Score Their First Grammy Nominations

Akropolis Reed Quintet & Palaver Strings Score Their First Grammy Nominations

To book the Akropolis Reed Quintet and Palaver Strings, please contact Eric Giles.

"Ariel Artists shepherds incredible work and is such a touchstone for artists trying to tell impactful stories." –Katie Carroll, Director of Programs, Strings Music Festival

"Ariel Artists shepherds incredible work and is such a touchstone for artists trying to tell impactful stories."
–Katie Carroll, Director of Programs, Strings Music Festival