About
"An electrifying mixture of zaniness, bombast, and the finest individual musicianship that harvard has to offer." - the harvard crimson
When they are not saving the universe, the seventeen members of Brattle form one of Harvard College's most exciting musical ensembles. A conductorless string chamber orchestra, Brattle has brought an intimate and dynamic approach to a broad-ranging repertoire of standard, seldom performed, and newly composed music for strings since its founding in 1998.
The Brattle Street Chamber Players was founded to explore a string orchestra and chamber music repertoire largely inaccessible to more traditional Harvard orchestras. A seventeen-(originally thirteen)-member chamber group without conductor or music director, Brattle Street upholds the ideals of musical democracy. Their performances are infused with a fresh approach, reckless dedication to the purest ideals of music making, dashing good looks, and infectious charm. They have garnered rave reviews and a reputation for derring-do, premiering works by Harvard undergraduates and collaborating with ensembles including the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus, the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, the Harvard University Choir, and the Harlem Boys Choir.
In March 2006, Black Box Classics released a recording of Rorem's 'A Sermon in Miracles' featuring the Brattle Street Chamber Players in collaboration with the Harvard University Choir. Past programs have included works by Harvard undergraduates, Osvaldo Golijov, Jimi Hendrix, Handel, Mendelssohn, and Japanese anime composers. In the 2012-2013 season we featured the work of undergraduate composers Lydia Brindamour '13 and Phillip Golub '16. We look forward to continuing our tradition of bringing new and exciting music to the Harvard community, and we hope to see you at our performances!
BSCP spring 2024 Audition info
Available Positions
Auditions are open to all Harvard undergraduates who play Violin, Viola, Cello or Bass.
Tentative Spring 2024 Program:
Tchaikovsky String Serenade
Barber Adagio for Strings
Geminiani/Wiancko La Follia variations
and more!
Audition Requirements
Application Requirements:
(soft) deadline for application is January 21, 2024 @ 11:59 PM ET
Fill out this form for application: https://forms.gle/6p7CQTdDAJB7QG2C8
On January 22, the selected chamber excerpts will be posted here on the website, along with audition time sign up. Therefore, please note that if you apply after the 1/21 deadline, you will have less time to prepare for your excerpt, but please feel free to still apply!!
Chamber Music Excerpts: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WeTZHYdVeh5TWmdyrlBD8M4J9rwLFwHi?usp=drive_link
Audition Sign Up
Sign Up Link
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Information for the live audition:
Location: Paine Hall, Music Building
Date: January 28, Sunday from 4-6 pm
Audition Requirements:
Play ~3 minute excerpt from a solo repertoire, preferable the beginning of the first or third movement of a concerto (or something of that nature) that would demonstrate your technical and musical ability. If we feel that the repertoire that you note in your application will not be demonstrative for the audition, we will contact you and will ask for another option.
Run a short (~10 min) chamber music rehearsal on a selected chamber work with current BSCP members. Sheet music will be posted here on January 22, as noted above.
UPcoming | 2023-2024 SEASON
Golijov, Schubert, Wijeratne, Piazzolla
12/10/23 at 4pm || Paine Hall, Harvard University
Osvaldo Golijov -- Tenebrae
Franz Schubert -- Death and the Maiden mvmt. 1
Dinuk Wijeratne -- Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems
Astor Piazzolla -- Fuga y Misterio
RECENT | 2022-2023 sEASON
25th Anniversary Concert — Spring Visitas 2023
The Brattle Street Chamber Players recently had our 25th Anniversary concert, welcoming back our alums and our founder, Jen Lee Koss, back on campus for a wonderful collaboration and celebration! After the current Brattlers performed Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8 (i. Largo, ii. Allegro Molto) and Florence Price’s Andante Moderato from Mvmt. II of String Quartet No. 1, our wonderful alum performers joined us for Sir Edward Elgar’s Introduction and Allego, featuring alums Alex Fortes ‘07, Lily Tsai ‘17, Martine Thomas ‘18, Ethan Cobb ‘22 for soloists.
Take a look at our concert recordings!
the Players
Disclaimer: Many if not all of these bios have some little tidbit of information that may have been included solely for the purposes of entertainment, although many things are partially/completely true facts that are representative of how quirky and incredible the Brattle Street Chamber Players are!
ALUMNI
media
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