June 25, 2008 - NOW in Chamber Music magazine

NOW Ensemble is the subject of a feature story in the July/August issue of Chamber Music magazine. The article, which you can download and read here, is part of the magazine's "American Ensemble" series. An excerpt: "The CD is remarkable not just for its music but for its packaging, featuring eye-catching art by Brett Budde, and as slickly designed as a major-label pop release."

May 29, 2008 - NOW Ensemble on NPR's All Things Considered

New Amsterdam Records was the subject of a beautifully-written and extremely well-produced feature story on NPR's All Things Considered. You can listen to the segment here, on the story's web page, which also features an expanded text version, pictures, and links to a variety of pages (as well as a pretty amusing picture of NOW's Judd Greenstein). NOW Ensemble was one of the highlighted groups throughout the story, including a number of clips from NOW, and a short recording of a rehearsal. In the NPR piece, critic Justin Davidson hits the nail on the head when he describes our scene as follows: "'The interesting thing about this group of people, and New Amsterdam, is the real lack of interest in anything that you could call aesthetic categories, or rules about what does and doesn't belong in their sphere of influence,' he says. 'And in a way, that can make it — the marketing of it — somewhat difficult, because it's kind of amorphous. But aesthetically, it's really interesting.'"

May 15, 2008 - NOW announces its new bass player

NOW Ensemble is pleased to announce that Logan Coale has been hired as our new bass player. Logan is a tremendous musician and a wonderful person and we are very glad to welcome him to the NOW Ensemble family!

May 05, 2008 - NOW pieces to be performed by the ECCE

Four of NOW Ensemble's works will be played on May 30, 2008, by the Eugene Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, under the direction of Scott J. Ordway. The works to be presented include All Together NOW, by Patrick Burke, Hanging There, by Mark Dancigers, Raunch, by Andrew McKenna Lee, and Sing Along, by Judd Greenstein. The performance is part of the YOUTH! festival, which is in its first year. We're very happy to have our repertoire presented in Oregon for the first time!

April 10, 2008 - Scott Smallwood compilation available for free download, featuring NOW Ensemble

NOW Ensemble is featured on a compilation of works by Scott Smallwood, playing still in here, which Scott wrote for us in 2006. The album, which you can download and read about at sijis.com, is described as follows: "These pieces represent a series of works that involve meditating on slowly evolving textures in places of stillness and resonance." Thanks to sijis for distributing a wide variety of compelling music, including Scott's.

March 5, 2008 - Congratulations to Joe's Pub!

Congratulations to Joe's Pub, which was named Best Downtown Classical-Music Venue in New York Magazine. The article, which you can read here, cited the "handful of fantastic acts" that have already played there this year, including "smart young composer-chamber collective the NOW Ensemble", as well as our friends, itsnotyouitsme. We'll look forward to our next show at one of New York's best venues.

February 20, 2008 - NOW on the Radio

We've been getting lots of e-mails and phone calls saying that our friends are hearing us on the radio. We've been getting lots of airplay, especially from our amazing local stations, WNYC and WFMU, where John Schaefer and Irene Trudel have been extremely supportive in getting our sound to new listeners. Many thanks to them and to the other DJs who have been playing our record.

February 1, 2008 - Reviews Are In

The first reviews are in for NOW, and we've been pleased to garner five stars in both Time Out New York and Time Out Chicago! Check our press page to read what people have been saying.

January 9, 2008 - NOW Record Release sells out Joe's Pub

The NOW Record Release, featuring itsnotyouitsme and sponsored by New Amsterdam Records, sold out Joe's Pub on Wednesday night! The show had an amazing energy to it, thanks in large part to our fantastic audience. Thanks to everyone who came out, and sorry to those who couldn't get in.

January 3, 2008 - NOW on WNYC Soundcheck

NOW Ensemble's Judd Greenstein and Sara Phillips will be on WNYC's Soundcheck, with John Schaefer, Tuesday January 8 at 2:00 PM. We'll talk about the group, our new record, and that evening's show at Joe's Pub. Tune in at www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck from anywhere in the world!

December 27 2007 - NOW receives grant from NYSCA

NOW Ensemble has received a generous grant from the New York State Council on the Arts! We'll put this money towards our general operating expenses, bringing new music to new audiences and supporting young composers in the work that they do. Many thanks to the good people at NYSCA for their support.

November 5 2007 - CDs have arrived!

Our new CD, NOW, arrived in the mail today! We'll be having the official release in December, but there will be sneaky ways to get your copy sooner. The disc, which was produced by Dan Bora and recorded and engineered at the Looking Glass Studios, features classic NOW Ensemble repertoire by member-composers Patrick Burke, Mark Dancigers, and Judd Greenstein, as well as a work by our good friend, Nico Muhly. NOW was recorded with our original performing lineup of Alex Sopp, Sara Phillips, Mark Dancigers, Peter Rosenfeld, and Michael Mizrahi.

October 27 2007 - NOW rocks Crane Arts in Philadelphia return

NOW Ensemble played two sets in Philadelphia's incredible Crane Arts Center, returning there for the first time since our June, 2006 "takeover" event. The show featured new music by Jacob Cooper, Missy Mazzoli, and Scott Smallwood, along with classic repertoire. We were pleased to work with our good friend Bradley Kemp, who performed on the double bass. A great crowd came out - thanks to everyone who showed up!

October 22 2007 - NOW at 21st Century Schizoid show

NOW Ensemble was featured as part of Matt McBane's "21st Century Schizoid" show at the Cornelia Street Café. We played Matt's Synthetic Night, and Matt put on a mix of his concert music with a set by Build, the band he directs.

October 15 2007 - Missy Mazzoli receives Jerome grant to write for NOW

Missy Mazzoli, the New York-based composer, has received a grant to write an extended multi-media work for NOW Ensemble, along with filmmaker Stephen Taylor. Mazzoli's last composition for NOW Ensemble, Magic With Everyday Objects, was called "one of the great surprises of the 2007 [Bang on a Can] Marathon" by John Schaefer, host of WNYC's New Sounds radio program. Taylor was the filmmaker behind The End of New Music, the documentary about the 2005 Free Speech Zone Tour, featuring NOW Ensemble, which was the subject of a lengthy article in the New York Times this past July. We're very excited to be working with these two incredible artists. Many thanks to the Jerome Foundation for their generous grant!

October 5 2007 - NOW Benefit!

NOW Ensemble had an amazing time at our first-ever Fundraiser! The event was held at the Greenwich House, where NOW gave a short set of music, preceded (and followed) by a lot of eating and drinking. Our friends came out to support us, including Missy Mazzoli, who spoke eloquently about the importance of our organization for composers and the new music scene in general. We are hugely thankful to all the donors who attended - as well as to those who couldn't! We could not be where we are, nor could we go where we need to go, without your support!