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Called "a dynamic new music ensemble" (The New York Times)
ModernWorks! was
formed in 1997 by cellist and long-time concert producer Madeleine
Shapiro. The focus of the ensemble is the exploration of the wealth of recent
repertoire written for strings in a variety of combinations. Though the core
is a string quartet, the ensemble also performs repertoire in numerous other
combinations; string duos and trios, as well as works with guitar and harp.
Its ModernCelli ensemble performs music for multiple
cellos and Madeleine and Mikko is a cello and
accordion duo. This is an area of the contemporary repertoire which is very rich, but
not being consistently explored by most ensembles.
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Madeleine was the founder, and co-director of
The New Music Consort for 21
years, and ModernWorks! is a continuation and expansion of her work in the
field of contemporary music. It reflects her interest in performing and
programming an eclectic range of new works by both established and emerging
composers, and in the creation of new works. In the short time that the
ensemble has been in existence, it has won critical acclaim for its New York
seasons. It has also presented 18 New York or United States premieres of
works by both young, emerging composers, and such diverse established composers as Sofia
Gubaidulina, Kaija Saariaho, Luciano Berio, Iannis Xenakis and Bernard
Rands. ModernWorks is proud to have been the recipient of a commissioning grant from Meet the Composer to commission a duo for cello and
accordion by the eminent American composer Charles Wuorinen. The work received its premiere in January, 2002.
ModernWorks! takes particular pride in
its work with younger, or lesser known American composers. During the 2000-01
season alone, the ensemble presented works by five younger composers on its
New York series.
MEET MADELEINE SHAPIRO Madeleine Shapiro has presented her VOICES cello recital at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Her concerts have included numerous premiere performances of recent works for cello, and cello and electronics, many of which were written specially for her by a wide variety of American, European and Asian composers. She is a recipient of two Performance Incentive Awards from the American Composers Forum to assist in the premieres of new works. Recent appearances include two tours of Italy with performances and masterclasses at The American Academy and the Nuovi Spazi Musicali festival in Rome; the Orsini Castle in Avezzano, and the conservatories of Parma and Castelfranco Veneto. Other recent appearances include colleges in the northeast and midwest United States and on the "Solo Flights" series sponsored by the Composers Collaborative in New York City. Madeleine appeared in recital at the Institute Brazil-Estados Unidos and participated in the 3rd Annual Cello Encounter in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. She will be returning to Rio to participate in the 5th Cello Encounter in August, 1999. From 1974-1996, Madeleine was the cellist and co-director of The New Music Consort, an ensemble specializing in the performance of twentieth century music. With the Consort, Madeleine loured the United States and Europe, and participated in numerous premiere performances of works by such eminent composers as Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Charles Wuorinen and Mario Davidovsky as well as emerging American, European and Asian composers. In addition to its annual New York concert series, Madeleine's appearances with the Consort include such prestigious festivals as the "Making Music Together Festival" Moscow, Russia, the Ravinnia Festival (Chicago), the Aki Festival Cleveland, Ohio), the Museum of Modern Art (New York City) and the Guggenheim Museum (New York City). As co-director of the Consort, Madeleine was the recipient of a number of awards and grants including the 1993 First Prize in Adventurous Programming awarded by ASCAP-Chamber Music America. Madeleine is the director of the newly formed chamber ensemble MODERNWORKS!, now in its third season. MODERNWORKS! has appeared at the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse, on Sonic Boom 6 and 8, and at the American Craft Museum. Madeleine is presently an adjunct professor at the Mannes College of Music, New York City, where she directs the Contemporary Music Ensemble and teaches classes in the performance practice of twentieth century music. As co-director of the New Music Consort, she held the Chair of Johnson Distinguished Visiting Professor at Middlebury College, Vermont. She has also taught masterclasses in colleges and universities including University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Washington and Lee University; James Madison University, Virginia; SUNY Potsdam, University of Maryland, College Park; Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin College, CUNY Graduate Center, Furman University (N.C.) and The National Academy of Science. Madeleine has recorded for New World Records, CRI, Mode and Harvestworks. Madeleine plays a Betts cello c. 1790 ModernWorks!
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