ABOUT UNHEARD-OF
Ford Fourqurean (clarinet), Matheus Souza (violin), Iva Casian-Lakoš (cello), and Daniel Anastasio (piano) are Unheard-of, a Brooklyn-based clarinet, violin, cello, and piano quartet performing dedicated to connecting new music to communities in New York and across the United States through the development and performance of adventurous programs using technology and interactive multimedia. Unheard-of is committed to the idea that new music belongs in every community, and implements this mission through concerts and educational workshops throughout New York as well as on tour. Unheard-of originally started as a commissioning project by Ford and Daniel in 2014 to expand the chamber music repertoire for clarinet and piano. The group formed as a quartet in 2018 and has since grown into a nation-wide community across multiple artistic genres. With an approach that is open and welcoming of all voices, Unheard-of strives to be a vehicle for development and growth for voices novel and experienced, experimental and traditional, uncomfortable and accessible.
HIGHLIGHTS
The 2024–2025 season features the premiere of a new 40-minute multimedia commission Ginger Flavored Bubblegum by composer Vicki Leona Nguyen and video artist Phong Tran on Unheard-of’s Dialogues Series, a mini-portrait of Reiko Füting, partnership with San Antonio-based SOLI Chamber Ensemble presenting new works by Leah Reid, Alexandros Darna, and Asuka Kakitani as part of their 30x30x30 project, and a collaboration with the Association for the Promotion of New Music. The ensemble has residencies and guest artist visits on tour at University of Pittsburgh, Miami University (OH), Denison University, University of Miami (FL), and Rednote New Music Festival at Illinois State University.
Their 2023-24 season featured commissions from Ana Lopez (NNUX) and video artist Martha Maya, Robert McClure and video artist Mare Hirsch, David Crowell, Lila Meretzky, and two premieres by ensemble members Ford and Iva. On tour, Unheard-of visited Georgia State University, Columbus State University, and University of Florida, Ohio University, California State Northridge and University of Wyoming.
SUPPORT
Unheard-of has received support from the New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Amphion Foundation, Johnstone Fund for New Music, the Dwight and Ursula Mamlok Foundation, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, the Barlow Endowment, the Alice M. Ditson Fund, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the New York Women Composers Organization, the Brooklyn Arts Council, and Puffin Foundation. Unheard-of was a recipient of a Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant to commission Rome Prize-winner Christopher Stark, 2023 Artistic Projects Grant for their Cultural Ecologies series, and a 2024 and 2020 Chamber Music America Ensemble Forward Grant made possible with support of the New York Community Trust.
EDUCATION
Unheard-of is in the 7th year of their annual composer workshop, the Collaborative Composition Initiative. Their 5th and 6th festivals were held across San Antonio for the second year with seven performances at San Antonio institutions including San Antonio landmark Mission San José, Evergreen Garden, Ruby City, Agarita Loft, and the UTSA Arts Cube. Their 4th festival took place across Brooklyn on canoes in the Gowanus, at Mise-en_Place, and at Scholes Street Studio. Previous festival years took place online and at Stony Brook University.