Ezra Weller, Beth McDonald and Alex Heitlinger join the NEC CLÉ for the April 24th Workshop. If you were thinking of writing for brass, here is your opportunity! Click on the Application to your right to apply!
Tubist BETH McDONALD is in the final semester of her graduate studies at the New England Conservatory. Growing up in the Washington, DC area, she received her Bachelor's degree with top honors from the University of Kentucky in 2009. Raised as a classical musician, she has an extensive background in orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music, in addition to being a repeatedly award-winning soloist. She has performed in China and throughout Europe, and has been a featured soloist with the Pershing's Own Army Band and the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra.
Through her entire musical career thus far, Beth has been performing and
premiering contemporary music, both avant garde and conservative. Due to the tuba's relatively young history, she is working to develop awareness of the instrument and is eager to collaborate with composers. Currently, she is a member of the Balkan Brass Project, Atlas Brass Quintet, the Lindenbomber Fleet, and the NEC Contemporary Ensemble, and has performed with the Callithumpian Consort, including multiple performances during the Christian Wolff residency last year.
As a fellow at the Lucerne Festival Academy and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, she has worked with the likes of Pierre Boulez, Iván Fischer, and Christoph Eschenbach, and has collaborated with musicians from all over the world. She studies with accordionist Ted Reichman and tubist Mike Roylance of the Boston Symphony. Some of her current musical explorations include electroacoustic music, *taksim* improvisation, and Balkan popular music.
EZRA WELLER is Boston-area trumpet player, composer, improviser, and educator. He has premiered works by Anthony Coleman, Matti Kovler, and Samuel Harry Chabrow, the latter two as soloist. As an improviser, Mr. Weller has performed at the Lilypad and Zeitgeist Outpost in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as the Stone in New York. Recently, his attentions have been focused on composition, and his first large ensemble work will be performed by the Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble this May. He currently teaches at Boston College High School as brass coach, and the El Sistema program at the Brighton Conservatory Lab School, where he is resident arranger. Collaborative experience includes performances with Anthony Coleman, Hankus Netsky (Klezmer Conservatory Band), Christian Wolff, and Keith Rowe; and master classes with Paul Lytton, Nate Wooley, Dave Holland, and Don Byron. Mr. Weller will graduate from the New England Conservatory this spring, where he studied with John McNeil, Frank Carlberg, Kati Agócs, and Charles Schlueter.
ALEX HEITLINGER’ career highlights include rocking the Stone Pony in New Jersey with fellow trombonist Richie “La Bamba” and other musicians from the Conan O’Brien band, a featured performance at the 2007 Madajazzcar Festival, opening up the JVC Jazz Festival at the Knitting Factory with the Bjorkestra, performing in Harlem with boogaloo legend Joe Bataan immediately prior to a failed world record attempt at the largest ever kazoo band, and a childhood performance of “People in Your Neighborhood” with Bob from Sesame Street. He also briefly held a position formerly held by Ellington trombonist Art Baron in a duo with a singing dog. Originally a classical trombonist, he won his first and only audition, becoming principal trombonist of the Cheyenne (Wyoming) Symphony for one season. For a period in the mid 2000's he was very active in the NY salsa scene, performing frequently in the Bronx and at salsa festivals in Chicago, Boston, NY, Germany, and France. In the last few years, he's become interested in Balkan brass music, performing with Slavic Soul Party and founding the Balkan Brass Project at NEC. As a composer, Heitlinger has recorded two complete albums of original jazz works and received ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards in 2008, 2009, and 2010. He is also known for creating popular internet music video parodies of Guns ‘N Roses and Boyz II Men, as well as “Funk to the Chief”: a series of profanities read by President Barack Obama on his audio book, isolated, and set to funky beats. Heitlinger is currently pursuing a Masters degree in jazz composition at the New England Conservatory.
