Ensemble Evolution

Ensemble Evolution have presented workshops and seminars to percussion and music students around the world. We specialise in working with students on improvisation, composition and present seminars on commissioning projects, entrepreneurship and our unique compositions and performance projects. Our three members have a variety of areas of specialisation and can present individual seminars and workshops on their particular focus. Our workshops are often culminate in a performance where we present one of our concert programmes and then, alongside the students, perform works by one of our members or created by the group over the course of the workshop.

To discuss a workshop or concert with us get in touch via contact@ensemble-evolution.com

Topics for workshops and seminars with Ensemble Evolution

Creating an ensemble and entrepreneurship

The group will discuss the experiences and challenges of starting an ensemble, running events and creating projects. We’ll talk about why we started our ensemble and how our goals and focuses changed as we worked together.

Unique performance projects

We will present and perform elements from one or more of our unique performance projects. From shop-front performances, wild graphic scores to treehouse concerts our ensemble has collected a library of unique experiences to spur the imagination of students and demonstrate the cutting edge of contemporary classical music.

Improvisation and Composition

We will present our process of improvisation and collaborative composition. When forming our group, our first priority was to create our own music and throughout our time in Piteå, we have each experimented with different ways to share our creative processes and use our group as a tool for composition and practice. We’ll talk about this process and present some of the music we’ve created together. This topic could also be the basis for a practical activity with each member of the group working with a small group of students.

Higher Education around the world

The members of our group have studied music all around the world, attending universities in the USA, UK, Australia and Sweden. We will talk about the different perspectives on music education, percussion performance and repertoire that we have found around the world as well as how (and why) we chose to study overseas.

Performance programs

Solstormen

A suite of mallet trios written during the freezing weather of February 2012. This suite draws elements from jazz, minimalism and contemporary classical music and recalls the aurora borealis and the eerie landscape of Northern Sweden as well as the excitement of ensemble performance and improvisation!

Sounds from the Treetops

Six works commissioned by the boutique Treehotel in Harads, Northern Sweden, this suite represents the six architecturally adventurous and artistically awe-inspiring tree house and the dramatic environment of the midnight sun. The unique compositional style and diverse interests of each member can be heard from piece to piece, while the suite is unified by their shared passion for percussion, sound and musical exploration. Each work will be accompanied by video footage of each of the tree houses and surrounding landscape, to transport the audience from the concert hall to the Swedish outdoors.

Individual Topics

Each member of the group has different areas of particular focus to present:

Jacob Remington

• Commissioning repertoire - Compose, Perform, Inspire project.
• Marimba repertoire, performance and competitions.

Charles Martin

• Using iPhones, iPads and computers with percussion.
• Cross-artform collaboration.

Maria Finkelmeier

• Logistics of a Well-Rounded Percussionist: balancing practicing, gigging, teaching, arts administration and a healthy life.
• Musical Entrepreneurship.