Proteus Ensemble

Jennifer Grim, Flute
Gilad Harel, Clarinet
Yuko Naito, Violin
Alberto Parrini, Cello
James Johnston, Piano

The Proteus Ensemble, which takes its name from a Greek prophet god who was capable of assuming many forms, brings a  fresh perspective to a wide variety of musical forms, from those of the distant past to those of the present day. After winning top prizes at the Chamber Music Yellow Springs and Fischoff National Chamber Music Competitions, the quintet gave a sold-out New York debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and has since given concerts and masterclasses across the country. Recent performance highlights include the ensemble’s Lincoln Center debut as part of the Great Performers Series in 2006, the Celebrity Series in St. George, Utah, and a 3-year residency as the Aspen Music Festival’s Contemporary Ensemble.

The ensemble consists of flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano, and as a classic Pierrot quintet, frequently collaborates with a singer to perform Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire or with a percussionist to perform such contemporary repertoire as David Lang’s Dance/Drop or Joseph Shwantner’s Music of Amber. The Proteus Ensemble changes its size to perform quartet, trio, duo, and solo works and draws on its inherent diversity to create eclectic programs that include the classics of the standard repertoire, new music and its own arrangements of Western and non-Western music. Current programs include “Americans in Paris” which presents works by Carter, Copland, Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, Ned Rorem, and Gershwin; and “Paris-Vienna 1900,” highlighting the cultural differences and musical innovations at the beginning of the 20th century. The Proteus Ensemble’s infectious enthusiasm for works by edgy young composers such as Thomas Ades and Michael Torke and the skill with which they perform them have won over young and old alike to the excitement of contemporary music.

In the fall of 2009, the ensemble collaborated with mezzo-soprano Hai-Ting Chinn, performing Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunair in Massachusetts, Ohio and at New York City’s Le Poisson Rouge.

Based in New York City, the members of The Proteus Ensemble have collaborated and performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Bargemusic, Ensemble Sospeso, ensemble 21, the Norfolk Contemporary Music Festival, and the Minimum Security Composers Collective. They hold degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music, the Juilliard School, Yale and Stanford Universities, and have participated in the Marlboro, Bowdoin, and Tanglewood music festivals, working with leading composers such as Joan Tower, Martin Bresnick, Christopher Theofanides, and David Rakowski.