• OcT 2 The Westerlies with special opening guest Johanna Chastek

The Westerlies (“prevailing winds from the West to the East”) are a New York based brass quartet comprised of four friends from Seattle, Washington: Riley Mulherkar and Zubin Hensler on trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch on trombone. 

The Westerlies re-imagine the chamber music experience through boldly personal performance, recording, collaboration, education, and outreach. Since their inception in 2011, they have cultivated a new brass quartet repertoire featuring over 50 original compositions as well as adaptations of Ives, Ellington, Bartok, Ligeti, Stephen Foster and numerous traditionals. Their music exudes the warmth of their longstanding friendships, and reflects the broad interests of its members.
The Westerlies navigate a wide array of venues with the precision of a string quartet, the audacity of a rock band, and the charm of a family folk ensemble. The Westerlies have performed at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at University of Maryland, The Festival of New Trumpet Music, Juilliard in Aiken Festival, The Juilliard School, Music in the Mountains (Durango, CO), the Vancouver Jazz Festival, Constellation Chicago, the Seattle Art Museum and Earshot Jazz Festival. Active collaborators, they have worked with artists in a variety of disciplines, including Vieux Farke Toure, Dave Douglas, Bill Frisell, visual artist David Foarde, Choreographer Garth Johnson, and Juilliard Dance. Their debut album, Wish The Children Would Come On Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz, was released on Songlines Recordings in May 2014, and was immediately met with praise:
“One of the more remarkable albums to cross my path this spring... an impressive feat from almost any angle... Take note of these players. You’ll be hearing more from them soon.” — Nate Chinen, Jazz Times
“The Westerlies play this music clean as a whistle, with attention to detail born of long rehearsals. And they infuse the lyrical passages with deep feeling... The Westerlies represent a breed of musicians rare when Wayne Horvitz was coming up, skilled interpreters who are also adept improvisers. With such versatile and well-equipped performers around, composers can expand their reach and they may all wind up in places they might not have found on their own.” — Kevin Whitehead, Fresh Air (NPR)
Active educators, the Westerlies seek to engage the performers and audience members of the future through innovative workshops that emphasize improvisation as a means to foster better communication and listening skills. They are currently in pre-production of their sophomore album, featuring original music in collaboration with multi Grammy-winning producer Jesse Lewis (L.A. Phil., Silk Road Ensemble, Roomful of Teeth, Brooklyn Rider), to be released spring 2016.

Born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska, violinist Johanna Chastek has developed an innovative style that blends her classical training with her love of folk, rock, and jazz music. Johanna uses live looping to create intricate layers that emulate the sound of a full band, utilizing improvisation to craft hauntingly beautiful melodies that are unique every time she performs. Chastek has performed internationally and with many acclaimed artists, including Portugal. The Man, the Grammy Nominated artist Gungor, Singer-Songwriter Joy Ike, and the touring collective The Brilliance.  In addition, Chastek has performed at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Keith Lockhart, and  has shared a stage with violin prodigy Midori. Chastek’s classical programs have included works by Brahms, Bach, Kreisler, and a Mendelssohn Piano Trio. At Carnegie Mellon University, Chastek studied with Andres Cardenes, the former concert-master of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Since then, she has continued her studies with Pittsburgh Symphony violinist Lorien Hart. 
http://www.johannachastek.com

The performace is set within "Campground" the 2016 Season interactive art installation at the studio by artist Kim Barry.

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