What do you get when you take three Juilliard-trained musicians - two cellists and one guy who plays anything within reach, from guitar to piano to cajon to ankle bells - and give them absolute artistic freedom? You get Empire Wild, a trio of Ken Kubota, Brandon Ilaw, and Mitch Lyon, whose musical explorations encompass pop, folk, Broadway and more into a unique musical gumbo that's equal parts talent, joy and magic.
Interim for trio and electronics (2022)
New Thread Quartet
Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, soprano saxophone
Erin Rogers, alto saxophone & mentor
Zach Herchen, baritone saxophone
The recipient of the 2022 Composers Now First Commission Award is Ebun Oguntola. Ebun is a 16-year-old contemporary classical composer, violinist, pianist and saxophonist living in upstate New York. Her music was brought to the attention of Composers Now by the founders of Luna Composition Lab, Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid. With mentorship from composer/saxophonist Erin Rogers, Ebun will create a chamber work for the New Thread Quartet that received its world premiere as part of the Opening Event of the 2022 Composers Now Festival.