For complete program notes, including texts and translations:

LocalArtsLive/William Way Showcase program notes

The Laughing Bird

Frère Thibault-----Pierre Certon (1510-1572)

Missa super “Frère Thibault”-----Kyrie & Credo Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594)

***

Adieu, mes amours-----Jean Mouton (1459-1522)

Missa super “Adieu, mes amours”-----Kyrie Adam Reiner (flourished 1541)

***

A ce matin-----Lasso

Beta Test Music

Beetlejuice------Danny Elfman

Suite from A Link to The Past-----Koji Kondo

Diminutive Tetrinoes-----Douglas Laustsen

Suite from Doctor Who-----D. Derbyshire and Murray Gold

Murmuration

Murmuration performs improvisational music so we'll just have to wait and see what they present.

Welcome!

This showcase is brought to you thanks to support from a collaboration of musicians, volunteers, LocalArtsLive, and the William Way LGBT Community Center. A larger showcase to kick off the 2012/2013 classical music season in September will be considered based on tonight's results, so please let us know what you thought of this event. Also, please “like” the LocalArtsLive Facebook page or sign up for the newsletter to stay informed. The showcase will have short breaks between ensembles so please feel free to use them in leu of an intermission. Time permitting, we will have a brief Q & A session after the performances followed by a reception. Thanks for joining us!

Ensembles

The Laughing Bird

Founded in 2010, The Laughing Bird is Philadelphia’s premiere early music vocal quartet, devoted to high quality performances of vocal chamber music from time immemorial through 1750. Comprised of established solo and chamber artists from the Philadelphia area, The Laughing Bird has performed monophonic and polyphonic works by such composers as Machaut, Dufay, Josquin, Byrd, Guerrero, Schutz, and Monteverdi, as well as plainchant.

The Laughing Bird is

Leslie Johnson:  Soprano

Jenifer L. Smith:  Mezzo-soprano

Steven Bradshaw:  Tenor

Colin Dill:  Bass

photo: Becky Oehlers http://beckyoehlers.smugmug.com/

Beta Test Music

Beta Test Music, formed in 2010 is a chamber ensemble specializing in performing contemporary classical music, video game soundtracks, and other nerd-inspired music genres. Based in Philadelphia, the ensemble takes their experiences as professional musicians, life long gamers, comic book nerds, and “Magic: The Gathering” enthusiasts to present performances that place classical favorites alongside works from video games/comic books/Joss Whedon shows. The group has premiered works by Melissa Dunphy, Nat Evans, and Douglas Laustsen as well as provided many first live arranged performances of video game soundtracks.

Beta Test is 
Justin Bulava:  Clarinet
Mark Zelesky:  Saxophone
Ben Mulholland:  French Horn
Douglas Laustsen:  Trombone
Steve Lakawicz:  Tuba
Rob Tait:  Drums

Murmuration

Murmuration performs improvised classical music. Its core members, Eric Coyne, Russell Kotcher, Andrew Marsh are sometimes joined by other musicians while utilizing a flexible line up of instrumentation. It is not uncommon for texts to be sung from books provided by the audience, or for members to change instruments midway through a piece.

Presenters

LocalArtsLive

LocalArtsLive was founded by Sharon Torello to provide a central source of information and discussion about classical music in the greater Philadelphia region. The membership on its website: LocalArtsLive.com Facebook, Twitter, and newsletter have grown significantly since its launch last year, but its greatest success may be the growing sense of connectivity within the classical music community that has been attributed to several efforts: Periodic showcases were started in order to help smaller ensembles develop audiences more quickly by hosting events with multiple performers. Friends, family, and existing fans of each ensemble can learn about the other groups in one event and the larger audience will help to spread the word more quickly. Professionals pages on LocalArtsLive provide a central location for information about individuals and organizations related to classical music in the region. Reviews, press releases, discussions, and feeds from other blogs all appear on the front page of LocalArtsLive to make it easy for find information quickly. Updates are posted on Facebook, Twitter, and the email newsletter.

The more participants on LocalArtsLive, the more useful and interesting the content, so please feel free to join. It's free! Follow LocalArtsLive on Facebook, Twitter, and newsletter, too.

The William Way LGBT Community Center

1315 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

http://www.waygay.org

The William Way Community Center seeks to encourage, support, and advocate for the well-being and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities through service, recreational, educational, and cultural programming.

History of the Center
The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center was formed in 1996, when a group of community leaders came together with the goal of creating a stronger, more stable community center out of Penguin Place, the community center at the time.


After an extensive search, the Community Center purchased the former Engineers' Club of Philadelphia in March 1997. Soon after, renovations began, and the building opened to the public in July 1997. Since then, the Center has developed an array of programming and services that target LGBT groups, and community organizations have moved permanent offices into the Community Center. In addition, over 70 groups meet at the Community Center on a regular basis, and many more use the facility for special events. The building is open seven days a week and is currently used by over 2,500 people each month.