The only youth orchestra in the U.S. dedicated to the creation and performance of music by living composers,Kaufman Music Center’s Face the Music has taken its place as a full-fledged player in New York City’s vibrant contemporary classical scene, rapidly becoming what The New York Times has called “a force in the New York new-music world.” NYC’s favorite youth new music ensemble performs at venues across the city and beyond, including Merkin Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, BAMcafé, Queens Museum, Roulette and WNYC’s The Greene Space. Face the Music is the only youth group among the Legacy Partners for Kronos Quartet’s exciting new commissioning initiative “Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire.” The recipient of an ASCAP Aaron Copland Award, Face the Music has been featured in Chamber Music Magazine,The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily News and on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
About Kaufman Music Center
Kaufman Music Center is New York’s go-to place for music education and performance. It’s where music lovers, from curious fans to renowned performers, come together to explore their musical passions. Founded in 1952 as a community music school, today’s Kaufman Music Center is one of the city’s most vibrant cultural organizations, combining world-class teaching with electrifying performances.
Kronos at Kaufman
Young string quartets from Face the Music’s Kronos at Kaufman program have had the unprecedented opportunity to develop a mentoring relationship with Kronos Quartet, the internationally-acclaimed string quartet responsible for the continued evolution of the form. Through studying music selected from Kronos Quartet’s vast repertoire and participating in innovative concert experiences, Kronos at Kaufman string quartets have embarked on the same path Kronos Quartet carved over their nearly 50-year long career, supplemented by coachings, masterclasses, interviews and forums with Kronos Quartet. This residency has built musical relationships that shape the destiny of the string quartet, driving it into unfamiliar territories while sustaining its tradition as a classical form.
