“Brass Wizards” - CD Review

“Superb Virtuosos” - Fanfare

“Near symphonic richness” - Los Angeles Times

“Robust and well-balanced” - The New York Times

“Made up of only virtuosos” - Trouw of Amsterdam

“Fire and brilliance” - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Unforced Virtuosity” - The Pittsburgh Press

“Exciting...crystal-clear sound” - The Pittsburgh Press

“Go see them...they're excellent” - Frank Zappa

Table of Contents

About the Meridian Arts Ensemble........1

Overview.........................1

The Basic Facts..................2

Whose Music Do We Play?..........2

Impressive Stuff.................2

MAE and Music Education.................3

Reviews.................................4

New York Times...................4

Washington Post..................5

Los Angeles Times................6

Amsterdam Trouw..................7

German Kolnische Rundschau.......8

CD Review........................9

Stereophile.....................10

Fanfare.........................11

Meridian Discography...................12

About the members of the MAE...........13

Contact Information....................16

Contents

Table of ContentsTable of Contents ii

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About the Meridian Arts Ensemble

About the Meridian Arts EnsembleAbout the Meridian Arts Ensemble 11

Founded in 1987, the Meridian Arts Ensemble has performed on four continents, in forty states, on radio and television, in concert halls and jazz clubs and rock clubs. The MAE has commissioned and premiered countless new works and has recorded and released seven critically acclaimed CD’s.

The MAE began as a traditional brass quintet, winning four competitions in under two years. Winning First Prize in the coveted Concert Artists Guild New York Competition in 1990 launched the group’s international career. Since then, the group has evolved into an adaptable ensemble with a core of brass and percussion, expanding as necessary to include piano, guitar, bass, and saxophone.

Eclecticism is a key element of the MAE’s performances: the Ensemble performs a wide variety of music, mixing classical and contemporary works, jazz and rock compositions, ethnic music, and original works by Ensemble members.

The MAE blazes its own trail. The Ensemble has commissioned, collaborated with or premiered works by Milton Babbitt, Frank Zappa, The Common Sense Composers’ Collective, Jan Bach, Stephen Barber, Philip Johnston, Ira Taxin, David Sampson, Kirk Nurock, John Halle, Norman Yamada, Jan Radzynski, Elliott Carter, and many others.

The MAE has performed extensively throughout the world and in the US. Major US venues such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Hall and Pick-Staiger Hall, LA’s Ambassador Auditorium, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Atlanta’s Spivey Hall have been hosts to the Meridian Arts Ensemble’s performances. Countries that the MAE has visited include Japan, Taiwan, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Television performances have included PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center, as well as international appearances on German, Dutch, and Austrian state networks. The MAE has been heard on NPR and PRI affiliates, on commercial classical stations, on alternative stations across the country, and on Voice of America and Radio Free Europe. Radio broadcasts have included NPR’s Weekend Edition, St. Paul Sunday Morning, WDR (Germany), Dutch National Radio, and ORF (Austria). In 1993, the group launched New York station WQXR’s “Artists-in-Radio” program with a series of studio performances and interviews.

The MAE displays its uniqueness and versatility through regular performances at jazz and alternative rock clubs. New York’s The Knitting Factory, CBGB’s, and the Kitchen; Washington D.C.’s Black Cat; and Los Angeles’ House of Blues have hosted the Ensemble. The MAE has also collaborated with such notables as Duran Duran.

The Meridian Arts Ensemble records exclusively for Channel Classics, and has released seven recordings to date.

The Meridian Arts Ensemble won the coveted Concert Artists Guild New York competition in 1990.

The MAE's diverse repertoire ranges from traditional Renaissance and Baroque settings to ethnic music, jazz and rock compositions, and original works by Ensemble members.

The Meridian Arts Ensemble has performed internationally on stage, television and radio. They perform at traditional concert venues as well as jazz and alternative rock clubs.

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The Basic Facts

About the Meridian Arts EnsembleAbout the Meridian Arts Ensemble 22

· five brass players and one percussionist from New York City, · expandable to include piano, extra percussion, guitar, bass, saxophone· performances in 45 states· performances in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Austria· performances in Japan and Taiwan· performances in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic· seven critically acclaimed compact discs on the Channel Classics label· assisted in changing the face of chamber music through innovative repertoire and high-octane performances

Whose Music Do We Play? (in no particular order)

· Frank Zappa, J.S. Bach, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Tania Leon, King Crimson, Captain Beefheart, and Jimi Hendrix· Milton Babbitt, Alvin Etler, Elliott Carter, Tom Pierson· Members of the MAE (who also do their own arranging)· Renaissance and Baroque music, Afro-Cuban dance styles, Rush

Impressive Stuff

· First Prize Winner, 1990 Concert Artists Guild New York Competition· Multiple winner of the ASCAP/Chamber Music America Adventurous Programming Award· performance at New York’s Alice Tully Hall for the 25th Anniversary of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center· club appearances have including New York alternative spaces CBGB's, The Knitting Factory, the Cooler, and the Kitchen; the Black Cat in Washington, DC; the House of Blues in Los Angeles· television broadcasts on German, Dutch, and Austrian state television· television broadcast on PBS’s Live from Lincoln Center· radio broadcasts including NPR’s Weekend Edition (twice), St. Paul Sunday Morning, WDR Jazz Radio (Germany), Dutch National Radio, ORF (Austria), Voice of America, and Radio Free Europe

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MAE and Music Education

MAE and Music EducationMAE and Music Education 33

Since its inception in 1987, the Meridian Arts Ensemble has maintained a strong presence in music education. The Ensemble has given masterclasses, clinics, and career seminars at major universities, colleges, and high schools throughout the world. Members of the MAE hold college degrees from the Baccalaureate to the Doctoral levels, and have extensive teaching experience, holding faculty and staff positions at the Hartt School of Music, Princeton University, Arizona State University, and The Juilliard School.

In addition to their teaching experience, the members of the MAE compose and arrange music, and have contributed to many of the major music journals, including the Instrumentalist, the International Trumpet Guild Journal, the Horn Call, The T.U.B.A. Journal, Windplayer Magazine, and Chamber Music America Magazine.

The MAE values the importance of interacting with young musicians. The Ensemble frequently presents local and regional residencies across the US, performing for and working with music students of all ages and youngsters who are not yet involved in school music programs.

Within the Ensemble's busy touring schedule, it frequently presents university level masterclasses across the US, Europe, and South America. Past hosts have included The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, and Hartt School of Music; numerous conservatory appearances in the Netherlands; Gent (Belgium; the University of Bogota (Colombia); dozens of universities in the US.; the Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago; the Texas Music Educators Association in San Antonio; The International Trombone Festival; and the International Brassfest.

The members of the MAE have extensive professional performance and teaching experience, university educations from the Baccalaureate to the Doctoral levels, frequently compose and arrange, and have contributed to many scholarly journals.

The MAE has appeared at educational institutions worldwide. Past associations have included conservatories and universities in the US, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and South America.

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Reviews: New York Times

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Reviews: The Washington Post

Reviews: The Washington PostReviews: The Washington Post 55

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Reviews: Los Angeles Times

Reviews: Los Angeles TimesReviews: Los Angeles Times 66

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Reviews: Trouw

Reviews: TrouwReviews: Trouw 77

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Reviews: Koelnische Rundschau

Reviews: Koelnische RundschauReviews: Koelnische Rundschau 88

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Reviews: CD Review

Reviews: CD ReviewReviews: CD Review 99

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Reviews: Stereophile

Reviews: StereophileReviews: Stereophile 1010

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Reviews: Fanfare

Reviews: FanfareReviews: Fanfare 1111

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Meridian Discography

Meridian DiscographyMeridian Discography 1212

Meridian Arts Ensemble has seven compact discs available on the Channel Classics label. These recordings are distributed in over 30 countries. MAE has recorded a wider range of repertoire than any other brass ensemble today, including early works of the Renaissance and Baroque, well-known contemporary composers such as Hindemith and Lutoslawski, experimental crossover works by Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix, original compositions, and a variety of ethnic styles. Smart Went Crazy - (CCS 4192)Frank Zappa, Selected WorksJohn Halle, SoftshoePhillip Johnston, Sleeping BeautyBilly Strayhorn, Lush LifeKirk Nurock, Smart Went CrazyNorman Yamada, Mundane DissatisfactionsJimi Hendrix, Purple HazeTrad. Afro/Cuban, Revoltillo Visions of the Renaissance - (CCS 6594)Giovanni Coprario, Two FantasiasTomaso Albinoni, Suite in G MajorJ.S. Bach, Three Chorales, Four Contrapuncti from the Art of the Fugue, FantasieDomenico Scarlatti, Sonata in D MajorJohann Schein, Three Psalm SettingsDon Carlo Gesualdo, Three MadrigalsOrlando Gibbons, Two Fantasias Prime Meridian - (CCS 8195)Igor Stravinsky, Fanfare for a New TheatreFrank Zappa, Selected WorksKenny Wheeler, Song for SomeoneCaptain Beefheart, Selected WorksMilton Babbitt, Fanfare for AllJon Nelson, Song for a Dead King, Paterson 2:35Rich Shemaria, Pandora's Magic CastleHerbie Hancock, JessicaFrank London, Schvitz Suite

Winning Artists Series - (CCS 2191)Witold Lutoslawski, Mini OvertureAlexander Arutiunian, Armenian ScenesIra Taxin, Brass QuintetJan Bach, LaudesAlvin Etler, Quintet for Brass Instruments Five - (CCS 9496)Ira Taxin, FanfareStephen Barber, Gone is the RiverJan Radzynski, Take FiveDavid Sampson, Morning MusicPeter Robles, Finale Rounds Anxiety of Influence - (CCS 9796) with guest pianist Jon KlibonoffFrank Zappa, Selected WorksClaude Debussy, SarabandeStephen Barber, SemahaneDaniel Grabois, Zen MonkeyTrad. Afro-Cuban, El SolitarioStanley Silverman, Variations on a Theme of Kurt WeillRaymond G. Stewart, Okay Chorale, KOHS-Ska

Ear, Mind, I- (CCS 11898)Frank Zappa, Selected WorksSu Lian Tan, Moo Shu Wrap RapTom Pierson, Brass QuintetRandy Brecker, Some Skunk FunkJason Forsythe, SanctityJosef Burgstaller, Lullaby, Dr. J GeyserJohn Ferrari, MAE We Strut?, CrunchJon Nelson, Fanfare for Nothing, Sleepless

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John Ferrari, Drums

About the members of the MAEAbout the members of the MAE 1313

John Ferrari is an active drummer, percussionist, conductor and teacher in the New York area. A DMA recipient from SUNY Stony Brook, his teachers have included Ray DesRoches, Richard Horowitz, Sonny Igoe, Gary Chester and Marvin "Smitty" Smith. He is a member of New Millenium, a new music ensemble which has released two discs on the Koch label. He also appears regularly with the Composers Guild of New Jersey Chamber Players, the composers' ensembles of Princeton and Columbia Universities, and the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble, under whose auspices he has performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the San Francisco Symphony.

He has been a guest artist of the Group for Contemporary Music, Amara, and Cygnus. As a conductor, he has premiered works by Jay Gach and Kamran Ince in New York. Mr. Ferrari is active in virtually all genres, appearing with orchestras, jazz and pop groups, and in the pits of Broadway theaters. He has recorded for Channel Classics, CRI, CGNJ, Centaur, and Koch records.

Daniel Grabois, Horn

Hornist Daniel Grabois is a member of the critically acclaimed Meridian Arts Ensemble, of the new music group Sequitur, of the New York Chamber Ensemble, and of the Curiously Strong Winds. He has performed frequently throughout New York and on tour with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestra, Bargemusic, American Ballet Theater, Musicians from Marlboro, Philharmonia Virtuosi, and Speculum Musicae. He has also played with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Chamber Music Society II, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York City Opera Orchestra, the American Ballet Theater Orchestra, the Riverside Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the New Jersey Symphony.

Of Grabois’ recent premiere of David Rakowski’s Locking Horns concerto with Sequitur, The New York Times wrote, “The horn soloist Daniel Grabois … gave an assured and vividly colored performance.” Grabois’ summer activities have featured festival appearances at Marlboro, Bard, Marblehead, June in Buffalo, Norfolk, and the Cape May Music Festival. Grabois has also played with many rock and jazz ensembles including Duran Duran. He has recorded for Channel Classics, CRI, Bridge, Delos, Koch, Musical Heritage Society, and others. He received his Master’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music and his Bachelor’s Degree (summa cum laude) from Yale. His teachers have included David Jolley, Howard Howard, Paul Ingraham, and Andre Speyer. He is currently the horn instructor at the Hartt School of Music and at Princeton University.

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Benjamin Herrington, Trombone

About the members of the MAEAbout the members of the MAE 1414

As one of New York's leading trombonists, Mr. Herrington has performed with such notables as the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New Millenium Ensemble, Continuum!, St. Lukes Orchestra, New Jersey Opera, Philharmonia Virtuosi and the Sospeso Ensemble. He has toured worldwide in various groups under the batons of Leonard Bernstein, Semyon Bychkov, Valery Gergiev, James DePriest, and Christoph Eschenbach. Prolific in the world of brass chamber music, Mr. Herrington has collaborated with the American, New York, Wisconsin, Manhattan, Eastern and Saturday Brass Quintets.

Born in Mississippi to a family of music teachers, he graduated in 1986 with performance honors from New England Conservatory, studying with John Swallow. He completed his graduate studies at Juilliard in 1990 under the tutelage of Per Brevig. Mr. Herrington shares his experience and enthusiasm for music as a teacher at Princeton University. He has recorded for Channel Classics, BMG, CRI, Koch, Barking Pumpkin, and Musical Heritage Society. Mr. Herrington is currently the trombonist with the Broadway hit musical "Urinetown".

Brian McWhorter, Trumpet

Brian McWhorter performs, composes, and improvises contemporary music as a solo artist and in groups such as the Meridian Arts Ensemble, the film-accompanying After Quartet, and the percussion-trumpet duo Endy Emby. He has recorded with the American Brass Quintet, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Absolute Ensemble, the chamber/pop group The Sharp Things and the After Quartet on an album that featured his original compositions for two silent films.

Brian was a founding member of Extension Ensemble, an award-winning brass quintet responsible for numerous commissions of progressive composers. Hailed as a "terrific trumpeter" by the New York Times, Brian is a graduate of the Juilliard School and the University of Oregon and holds teaching positions at Princeton University and Greenwich House Music School.

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Jon Nelson, Trumpet

About the members of the MAEAbout the members of the MAE 1515

Currently Assistant Professor of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Jon Nelson maintains an active career as performer, producer and collaborator. He has served as principal trumpet for the Festival Aix en Provence de Musique in France under the direction of Pierre Boulez, and the Mineria Festival Orchestra in Mexico City.

His arrangements have been performed and recorded by the Cologne Stadt Ballet, the Ethos Percussion Group, and Dweezil Zappa; he has recorded for Channel Classics Records, Barking Pumpkin, BMG/RCA, Bridge, Cuniform, Peer, New World Records, Vandenburg, and CRI. Mr. Nelson holds a B.M. from The Juilliard School where he studied with Mark Gould. He has also studied with Laurie Frink in New York, and Antoine Cure in France.

Raymond Stewart, Tuba

Raymond Stewart is principal tuba of the American Composers Orchestra and a co-founding member of the internationally acclaimed Meridian Arts Ensemble in New York City. He is also Assistant Professor of Music at SUNY Fredonia College where he teaches the tuba studio and lectures in World Music. He received his high school diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy, BM from the University of Miami School of Music, and MM from the Manhattan School of Music.

Mr. Stewart has performed and/or recorded with numerous diverse musical entities including the New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, American Ballet Theatre, Broadway (STATE FAIR, CANDIDE), the off-Broadway hit JUAN DARIEN, movie soundtracks (SPHERE, TWO FAMILY HOUSE), TV jingle ads (AT&T, DUNKIN' DONUTS), the Walt Disney World Company, DURAN DURAN, and has appeared at countless international music festivals in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. At the age of 19, he was the featured solo sousaphonist in the international touring company of the Broadway musical BARNUM.

Mr. Stewart can be heard on the Channel Classics, CRI, Argo, and Knitting Factory Works labels, among others. His principal teachers have included Toby Hanks and John Stevens.

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Contact Information

Contact InformationContact Information 1616

For more information about the Meridian Arts Ensemble, please contact:

BesenArts 80 Varick Street - 9D New York, NY 10013-1932

Telephone212-226-7570 Facsimile212-343-8867 Email Contact@BesenArts.com