Rochester-Based Chamber Ensemble fivebyfive Impress in Performance at Chamber Music America Conference in NYC

Rochester’s collaborative chamber ensemble fivebyfive impressed the crowd at the Chamber Music America Conference in New York City during their performance on Jan. 6.

fivebyfive, the artist-led Rochester-based ensemble, formed in 2015 with a simple mission, to engage audiences by performing music of leading and emerging composers. Composed of a flutist, clarinetist, electric guitarist, bassist, pianist, and audio/video engineer, the group advocates for creators who are underrepresented in the field and chooses to collaborate with artists across disciplines, while staying committed to performing new music.

Laura Lentz, the flutist and Artistic Director for the group, said that the group likes conveying messages beyond the music. “Our goal is always to push boundaries while creating community-building experiences. We often use video and animation or poetry—even glass-blowing–to convey a message,” she said. She was elated to be performing at the Chamber Music America Conference on January 6.

The national conference was held January 5-8, 2023 at the Westin New York in Times Square to bring ensemble music professionals together to network and share information. Fourteen ensembles were chosen to perform off-site at DROM, fivebyfive included. At the CMA conference performance, fivebyfive’s repertoire included two commissioned works, “a tiny dream” composed by Anthony R. Green and Of Breath and Fire by composer/harpist Amy Nam. In a statement, Nam said that she was “thankful for the privilege to work with a team of musicians who share my motivation of igniting curiosity and joy in their audiences.”

The ensemble members are now back in Rochester, preparing for a 3-day residency next month at SUNY Fredonia where members of the ensemble will teach, play, and guide developing artists. Lentz said that the group “love[s] working with enthusiastic students and expect to meet many at Fredonia. We’ll share sessions on topics like creating videos and forming a musical group such as ours.” To keep up to date on the group and their future shows, go here.