Founded in 1997, the Boston-based Walden Chamber Players has garnered a reputation for being one of the most exciting and versatile chamber groups performing today. Critics have hailed its performances of everything from Bach to Schoenberg, and Chamber Music America Magazine raves: “A season spent with the Walden Chamber Players is a time for discovery.” The success of its performances, recordings and educational curricula has earned it a place as one of the most sought-after chamber ensembles in the United States.
Walden Chamber Players is comprised of twelve dynamic artists in various combinations of string, piano, and wind ensembles. The wide variety of instrumental groupings possible with this ensemble allows for great versatility and eclectic programming, a hallmark of the Walden Chamber Players. Members of the ensemble are versatile chamber artists and soloists who often perform at leading festivals throughout the United States and abroad. They are also sought-after teachers and lecturers and serve on the faculty of some of the country’s premier musical teaching institutions, such as the New England Conservatory of Music, University of Michigan, Boston University, Longy School of Music and the Boston Conservatory.
Walden presents a new concept of a classical concert both in content and presentation. Drawing from a rich palette of sources and styles, it mixes and matches the works of both classical and contemporary composers with an eye to new understandings and discoveries. Concerts often feature the use of multi-media and dialogue, giving the audience a broader appreciation of a certain time period and enabling the listener to make a connection between the artist, the creative process and society at-large–often mutually influencing forces–thereby creating a richer context.
The Walden Chamber Players is recognized for its strong advocacy of new music by composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, Alvin Singleton, Pierre Jalbert, Stephen Paulus, Gerhard Schedl, and Kaja Saariaho, among others. The ensemble has an ongoing commitment to commissioning, performing and recording new music. Walden Chamber Players also believes strongly in presenting unique educational curricula in a format that highlights the belief that music is the human experience translated into sound. The popularity of its educational programs has led to the development of several long-term residencies and partnerships at schools and universities across the country.