American Modern Ensemble & Mazzini Dance Collective Partner for FRANTIC GNARLY STILL, 10/16

American Modern Ensemble (AME) and Mazzini Dance Collective (MDC) join forces for a multi-disciplinary collaboration, "Frantic Gnarly Still,"on Wednesday, October 16 (8:00 PM) at Roulette (509 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn), presented by Ear Heart Music.

Anchoring the program are two world premiere choreographies by MDC Artistic Director Annmaria Mazzini: Tower, an ecstatic response to Pierre Jalbert's Visual Abstract (mixed ensemble), and Company, which visits the world of a sensitive woman finding her voice among questionable companions, set to AME Artistic Director Robert Paterson's The Thin Ice of Your Fragile Mind (mixed ensemble). AME performs all works on the program, with musical selections including Lembit Beecher's Frantic Gnarly Still (violin, percussion), a meditation on the shadow side of California, Jason Haney's moody Epigrams, and Marc Mellits' rhythmically energized Tight Sweater (cello, marimba, piano).

Tickets can be purchased at www.roulette.org. General admission is $20; members/students/seniors is $15.

The Mazzini Dance Collective was created in 2011 by the distinguished dancer Annmaria Mazzini as a platform for showcasing her choreography and collaborating with other extraordinary artists in the fields of dance, music, film, and art. Mazzini's original modern dance works provide a mirror for the audience, exploring universal themes of love, loss, desire, and triumph.

Annmaria formed MDC after a luminous career as a principal dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company from 1999-2011. On the occasion of her farewell performances with the company, Gia Kourlas of the New York Times wrote, "Ms. Mazzini, a true, sensual dancer feels everything. Her rare intensity has long emitted a palpable spark from the stage. Watching her over the years has been a gift. She brought real emotion back to modern dance." www.MazziniDanceCollective.org

In a golden age of new chamber music, Ear Heart Music is a trusted source for post-genre creative collaboration. A showcase of highly talented and adventurous performers, composers, and collaborative artists, Ear Heart Music is a modern chamber music series for modern ears. The series formed a partnership with Roulette in 2012 and continues to present dramatic and engaging multimedia events in this ideal venue September through June.

Ear Heart Music "has become a staple in the New York new music soundscape" (Time Out New York).Since September 2009, Ear Heart Music has produced over 75 unique concerts with over 60 world premieres. Its thoughtfully designed programs highlighting recent masterworks stimulate creative thought and instill new avenues of perspective in the listener. The consistent level of intelligent and inspiring music-making resonates in the mind and body. Shows include electronic processing, performance art, visual art, film, and dance, providing deeper context for the music. Unique artist pairings, diverse programming, and the integral incorporation of new work all contribute to Ear Heart Music playing a major role in reshaping the chamber music landscape for the 21st century. http://earheartmusic.org

Founded in New York City in 2005 by violinist Victoria Paterson and house composer Robert Paterson, AME celebrates and showcases American music, with a focus on living composers. The ensemble is especially devoted to presenting the widest possible repertoire to audiences outside the contemporary music field. AME regularly presents premieres, and conducts three annual competitions for young, emerging and professional composers. A flexible, robust ensemble pulling from a large roster of top New York City artists, the group has performed and premiered over 150 works by living American composers in venues ranging from Lincoln Center to Galapagos Arts Space. AME is committed to connecting audiences directly with those composers: 90% of composers whose work has been programmed by AME have attended the concerts and joined in lively discussions, including John Luther Adams, Chen Yi, John Harbison, Aaron Jay Kernis, Steven Mackey, Christopher Rouse, Paul Moravec, Peter Schikele, Steven Stucky, Joan Tower and David Del Tredici.

Incorporating the traditional and the cutting edge, stretching from the bawdy to the brilliant, AME has "consistently demonstrated a flair for inventive programming" (The New York Times). Notable successes include the group's sold out "Powerhouse Pianists" program, featuring ten varied composers from Nancarrow to Joan Tower; "xx," the ensemble's tribute to "horizontal cameos," including composers Glenn Crytzer and David Del Tredici; and "m&m's: Microtones and Minimalism," of which the Times declared: "Devoting a program to Minimalist and microtonal compositions could easily amount to an egghead agenda; leave it to the American Modern Ensemble to make it a party instead." Sold out crowds at Merkin Hall, Dimenna Center, and the Rubin Museum is a winning testament to the group's fan base and ever expanding popularity.

AME is the ensemble-in-residence at the CUNY Graduate Center in NYC. In 2009, American Modern Recordings was formed as the in-house record label, which will have worldwide distribution through Naxos by 2014. AMR's releases document repertoire commissioned and expertly performed by the ensemble and associated artists, extending the organization's mission into the recording field. Videography and streaming are new, integral components of each show that serve the music on a worldwide level. http://www.americanmodernensemble.com

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