t h a m y r i s a new music ensemble

Steven Everett and Peggy Benkeser, co-artistic directors

the new sounds of the century

"Lift your spirits with the magical sound of Thamyris. Our music refuses to be boring.

Classical, jazz, rock, experimental, global, theater, electronic, or just plain wacky:

any music you can imagine is possible with Thamyris."

- Steven Everett and Peggy Benkeser, artistic directors

...the players...

Jun-Ching Lin	violin
Jay Christy	violin
Craig Hultgren	violoncello
Karen Freer	violoncello
Jackie Pickett	bass
Paul Brittan	flute
Ted Gurch	clarinet, saxophone
Peggy Benkeser	percussion
Michael Cebulski	percussion
Helen Kim	violin
Laura Gordy	piano, synthesizer
Steve Everett	conductor, bass, electronics

... a few guest composers and performers

Steve Mackey	Frederic Rzewski
Pauline Oliveros	Olly Wilson
Alvin Singleton	Michael Obst
Anthony Davis	George Walker
Ursula Oppens	Margaret Leng Tan
Tania Leon	Janice Giteck
Trio Basso	Johannes Casper Walter

...the educational programs

Under the auspices of Young Audiences, Thamyris presents programs specifically designed for elementary or high school audiences at their school. Part of the experience for the student is to talk with the performers and experience hands-on the instruments used. All are provided free of charge to the student.

... about Thamyris

Thamyris is a twentieth-century music ensemble based in Atlanta, Georgia with national and international visibility. Thamyris' programming celebrates the music of the modern world with all its diversity of cultures and musical languages. Works of historic and artistic importance are blended in programs which emphasize the wealth of twentieth-century musical trends, including cross cultural influences, traditional music from around the world, and collaborations with other art forms and media. Thamyris actively commissions and records new works by regionally and internationally known composers and presents internationally recognized guest performers. Programs are presented as part of a concert series, festival, tour, or through professional recordings. Thamyris strives to educate and enrich its audience through lecture-demonstrations, residencies, family concerts, children's workshops, and in-school programs.

Thamyris was founded in 1987. Thamyris employs regional and guest artists, including dancer-choreographers, vocalists, instrumentalists, actors and electronic music specialists.

Thamyris has commissioned and premiered over fifty works and set remarkably high standards for artistic excellence and multicultural inclusivity, prompting this accolade from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution music critic Derrick Henry: "Thamyris' stunningly adventurous, dazzlingly executed programs have almost single-handedly made Atlanta's new music scene respectable." It is believed that Thamyris has the largest repertoire of African American composers of any chamber ensemble in the country as reported by the Department of African American Musical Studies at the University of Chicago.

Thamyris was appointed Ensemble-in-Residence at Emory University in 1998 funded by a Chamber Music America Residency grant. They were Ensemble-in-Residence at Clayton State College and University's Spivey Hall from 1991 to 1997. Recent awards include the ASCAP/Chamber Music America 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996 awards for Adventurous Programming, and the 1993, 1994, and 1995 Cultural Olympiad Regional Designation Awards. Thamyris' CD "No Longer of That World" is available on ACA Digital, and the ensemble is on the Touring Roster of the Georgia Council for the Arts.

Thamyris is governed by a board of directors made up of a diverse group of business and arts professionals. Thamyris' activities are funded in part by grants from the Chamber Music America, Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, the Fulton County Arts Council, the Georgia Council for the Arts, the Southern Arts Federation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. Thamyris is named in honor of the premiere minstrel of Thrace who was Orpheus' only rival in ancient times. The original Thamyris challenged the Muses to a contest of musical skill, and his namesake ensemble shares his passionate virtuosity and love of a musical challenge.

Contact:

Steven Everett, co-artistic director, tel 404.727.7937

Peggy Benkeser, co-artistic director, tel 404.634.9560