COOKEVILLE – Tennessee Tech University’s School of Music presents the Khemia Ensemble in concert on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m., in the Wattenbarger Auditorium.
Khemia’s distinctive sound world embodies the presentation of new classical music with a mix of acoustic chamber works, multimedia and multi-genre influences with its powerful instrumentation.
“Khemia Ensemble is dedicated to reflecting broader perspectives in contemporary classical chamber music by presenting engaging performances, commissioning new works and mentoring the next generation of musicians,” according to members of the Khemia Ensemble.
The Khemia Ensemble is composed of Amy Petrongelli, soprano; Mary Matthews, flute; Thiago Ancelmo, clarinet; Er-Gene Kahng, violin; Eli Lara, cello; Annie Jeng, piano; Shane Jones, percussion; and Chelsea Tinsler Jones, percussion.
Khemia has held residencies at more than a dozen universities in North and South America. The ensemble’s eight members also hold faculty positions at seven academic institutions across the U.S. including University of Georgia, Tennessee Tech University, University of Arkansas, University of Missouri, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Utah State University and Utah Valley University.
“We are artist educators who believe in representing a diverse range of voices in contemporary classical music. As a chamber ensemble, we share our love for compelling music, inclusive place-making, authentic storytelling and meaningful collaboration through presenting relevant and engaging performances,” members said.
Khemia has been featured in venues and festivals including National Sawdust in Brooklyn, New York, the Mizzou International Composers Festival in Columbia, Missouri, Strange Beautiful Music in Detroit, Michigan, New Music Gathering in Bowling Green, Ohio, Latin IS America in East Lansing, Michigan, the Missouri Summer Composition Institute and the Biennial New Music Festival in Córdoba, Argentina.
Committed to expanding the chamber music repertoire, Khemia has commissioned and premiered over 60 mixed-instrumentation works by professional, collegiate and high school composers. Recent collaborators include Nicolas Lell Benavides, David Biedenbender, Stefan Freund, Phillip Sink and Nina Shekhar. Khemia’s sophomore album will be released on Ravello Records in December 2022.
They actively promote living composers through concerts, commissions and mentorship with the next generation of composers and performers through workshops, masterclasses and residencies.
“While on Tech’s campus, Khemia will be presenting a concert, masterclasses for the clarinet, percussion, violin, cello and voice studios, and giving a lecture on starting a non-profit for your arts organization on the School of Music Career Check series,” Mary Matthews, assistant professor of flute and Khemia Ensemble, said.
Wattenbarger Auditorium is located in the Bryan Fine Arts Building on Tech’s campus at 1150 N. Dixie Ave., Cookeville. This concert is free and open to the public.
