Imani Winds + BodyVox: Beautiful Everything
$39-$71 ($24 ages 18-29, $14 ages 17 & under)
- Brandon Patrick George, flute
- Mekhi Gladden, oboe
- Mark Dover, clarinet
- Farnell Newton, French horn
- Monica Ellis, bassoon
The dynamic, 2024 Grammy Award-winning Imani Winds return to collaborate with Portland's own BodyVox on our latest chamber music and dance creation! "Beautiful Everything" will be an extraordinary evening of inspiring music and innovative dance celebrating beauty, hope, optimism, and joy. The Imani Winds will perform the West Coast Premiere of Shawn E. Okpebholo's Rise for Wind Quintet, a CMNW co-commission. Sure to draw crowds, don't miss this entertaining fusion of music and motion at the glorious Patricia Reser Center for the Arts!
Runs Apr. 19-21.
About Imani Winds
Celebrating over a quarter century of music making, the twice Grammy-nominated Imani Winds has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations, and outreach endeavors that have inspired audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
The ensemble's playlist embraces traditional chamber music repertoire and newly commissioned works from voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live.
http://www.imaniwinds.com/About BodyVox
BodyVox is dedicated to the creation and performance of innovative dance works that entertain, inspire, and uplift audiences of all ages. Considered among America's most innovative dance companies, BodyVox is known for its visual virtuosity, distinctive wit, and unique ability to combine dance, theater, and film into breathtaking productions rich in imagery, athleticism, and humor. We view dance as a powerful, inclusive language for communication because it is nonverbal, capable of bridging cultural differences and generations.
https://www.bodyvox.com/About Chamber Music Northwest (CMNW)
Chamber Music Northwest serves more than 50,000 people annually in Oregon and SW Washington with exceptional chamber music through over 100 events annually, including our flagship Summer Festival, year-round concerts, community activities, educational programs, broadcasts, and innovative collaborations with other arts groups. CMNW is the only chamber music festival of its kind in the Northwest and one of the most diverse classical music experiences in the nation, virtually unparalleled in comparable communities.
Chamber Music Northwest's mission is to inspire our community through concerts and events celebrating the richness and diversity of chamber music, performed by artists of the highest caliber, presenting our community with exceptional opportunities for enjoyment, education, and reflection.
https://cmnw.org/About Brandon Patrick George, flute
Brandon Patrick George, hailed as a "knockout musician with a gorgeous sound" by The Philadelphia Inquirer, is a leading flute soloist and Grammy Award-winning chamber musician whose repertoire extends from the Baroque era to today.
https://www.brandonpatrickgeorge.com/About Mekhi Gladden, oboe
About Mark Dover, clarinet
About Farnell Newton, French horn
About Monica Ellis, bassoon
Monica Ellis — a 2024 Grammy Award winner and three-time nominee — is a bassoonist, entrepreneur, and founding member of the wind quintet Imani Winds, which for over a quarter-century has dazzled audiences with dynamic playing, adventurous programming, and a commitment to outreach, new works, and collaborations. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ellis studied bassoon with Mark Pancerev and went on to receive her bachelor of music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, studying with George Sakakeeny. She received her master’s degree from The Juilliard School and her Professional Studies Certificate from Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program, studying with Frank Morelli at both institutions. She has appeared as solo bassoon with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, and Chineke! Orchestra in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. Recording credits include 10 studio albums with Imani Winds.
https://www.msmnyc.edu/faculty/monica-ellis/