Internationally recognized as a soloist as well as a chamber musician, Austro-Italian violinist Olivia De Prato has been described as "flamboyant...convincing" (New York Times) and an "enchanting violinist" (Messaggero Veneto, Italy). After recently moving to New York City she has quickly established herself as a passionate performer of contemporary and improvised music. Her chamber music activities include appearances at the Bang on a Can Marathon in NYC, the Lucerne Festival with Pierre Boulez, the Ensemble Modern Festival, "June in Buffalo" and the Ojai Festival with Steve Reich. Olivia is a member of the new music ensembles Signal directed by Brad Lubman and Victoire founded by composer Missy Mazzoli. Olivia has closely collaborated with composers such as Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Pierre Boulez, Chaya Czernowin, Peter Eötvös, Michael Gordon, Helmut Lachenman, David Lang, Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, Todd Reynolds, Ned Rothenberg, Julia Wolfe, and Evan Ziporyn. Olivia studied at the University of Music and Arts in Vienna and received her B.M. from the Eastman School of Music. She graduated with her M.M in Contemporary Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. www.oliviadeprato.com
Flawless” (Critical Dance), “simply amazing,” and “spellbinding.” (Rochester Fringe Festival), violinist Lauren Cauley enjoys a diverse career performing as both soloist and chamber musician. Passionate about the evolution of contemporary music, Lauren has worked with numerous established composers the likes of Samuel Adler, Hans Abrahamsen, Beat Furrer, Michael Gordon, Georg Friedrich Haas, and Philippe Leroux, as well as with dozens of young, emerging composers. She has given premieres at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Rodolfinum, and the Mozarteum. Lauren has performed at festivals such as Bang on a Can Summer Festival, Darmstadt Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik, Impuls, June in Buffalo, Klangspuren Schwaz, and New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival. She has appeared with Ensemble Signal, Talea Ensemble, Periapsis Music & Dance, and the [Switch~ Ensemble]. Lauren received her BM and MM from the Eastman School of Music, with additional studies at the Bauhaus Universität and the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Austria. www.laurencauley.com
Victor Lowrie is a versatile violist and composer living in New York City. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician with groups including Signal, Wordless Music Orchestra, Either/Or, Kavak Trio and Argento Chamber Ensemble. Victor's compositions include an awardwinning trio a landscape (viola, bassoon, piano), Runaway (viola & electronics), Question (for Kavak Trio) and an upcoming string quartet to be premiered by MIVOS in 2011. He can be heard on recordings from New Amsterdam, Kill Rock Stars, Quiet Design, Sunnyside and Tzadik Records. As an educator, Victor has given masterclasses and guest lectures at Brooklyn College and the EAFIT University in Medellín, Colombia. Victor grew up on the idyllic central coast of California and received his Bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University. He earned his Master's degree in Contemporary Viola Performance from the Manhattan School of Music. www.victorlowrie.com
“Trailblazing” cellist Mariel Roberts (Feast of Music) is quickly gaining recognition as a deeply dedicated interpreter and performer of contemporary music. Recent performances have garnered praise for her “technical flair and exquisite sensitivity” (American Composers Forum), as well as her ability to “couple youthful vision with startling maturity”. (InDigest Magazine). She holds degrees from both the Eastman School and the Manhattan School of Music, where she specialized in contemporary performance practice while studying with Alan Harris and Fred Sherry. Mariel is a performer of international reach who has played throughout the US and Europe appearing both as a soloist and with ensembles such as Signal, Wet Ink Ensemble, Dal Niente, SEM Ensemble, the NouveauClassical Project, and the Wordless Music Orchestra. Mariel's premeire solo album, nonextraneous sounds, was released on Innova Records in September 2012. The record, consisting of brand new works commisioned by Mariel, received high accolades from sources such as TimeOut NY, TimeOut Chicago, The American Composers Forum, New Sounds with John Schaefer, and WQXR radio. www.marielroberts.com
