SOLI Chamber Ensemble
SOLI’s mission is to cultivate and promote the awareness and appreciation of contemporary classical music through commissioning projects, high-caliber performances, cross-genre collaborations, and engaging educational and outreach programs. Through these initiatives, SOLI seeks to generate a genre that stretches the boundaries of classical chamber music into a new model of musical expression and commission new works by emerging and established composers.
Winner of the 2013 CMA/ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award, SOLI Chamber Ensemble was founded in 1994 with the purpose of giving voice to 20th-and 21st-century contemporary classical music through commissions, performances, and educational and outreach programs. Marshaling their talents as award-winning performers, SOLI’s highly talented musicians sustain a passionate commitment to commissioning and premiering new works by emerging and established composers. In its first 25 years, SOLI has commissioned and premiered more than 100 new works from some of today’s most exciting composers. SOLI’s cutting-edge performances take audiences beyond traditional chamber music settings to create new musical experiences that expand the expression of sound and broaden the minds of its listeners. SOLI regularly collaborates with artists and ensembles in other mediums, such as film, theater, graphic design, art, text, and dance, to incorporate elements that further expand the expression of musical works and the audience experience. A short list of these collaborators includes: Ballet San Antonio, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, graphic designer Erica Eliiot, Attic Rep Theater, OPERA San Antonio, the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio, the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, and the San Antonio Symphony.
In addition to its regular season programming in San Antonio, TX where the ensemble is based, SOLI frequently performs concerts around the country. In 2018, SOLI embarked on its international debut, performing concerts throughout northern Italy and as Ensemble In Residence at the Alba International Music Festival. In recognition of its artistry and commitment to contemporary music as a living art, SOLI was awarded a prestigious showcase performance at the 2016 Chamber Music America Annual Conference where the ensemble made its New York debut for a standing room only audience.
Education is critical to SOLI and the ensemble has developed educational programs designed to cultivate the next generation of contemporary music artists and music lovers. Throughout each season, SOLI works and performs with children K – 12, teaching them the joys of communicating through chamber music. SOLI’s residency program at the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio are free and open to the public, and take place once each month during the season.
As Ensemble in Residence at Trinity University since 2008, SOLI frequently performs on campus, conducts open rehearsals, coaches student groups, and advises student composers, and performs residencies at universities and colleges throughout the country.
SOLI has recorded six commercial CDs of works that the ensemble has commissioned over its 25 year history and more projects are underway.
