This spring will be one spent mainly abroad for me! In exactly one week, I will be on a plane to Milan with the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Our first concert at the Teatro Elfo Puccini will feature music by David Lang, Julia Wolfe, Michael Gordon, Thurston Moore(of Sonic Youth), Michael Nyman and the world premiere of “Life” by Louis Andriessen with video by Marijke Van Warmerdam. I feel like I shouldn’t tell you too much about this work before it’s actually performed but if you can hear for yourself at the U.S premiere in NYC at Zankel Hall on April 17th!! And, for those of you who aren’t familiar with Andriessen or his music…here are a few links that will shed some light: Info & Video

From Milan we go to Rome for a concert at the Teatro Palladium with composer/clarinetist Don Byron. I have not yet had the pleasure to work with him but  have seen and heard  him in action. Certainly one of the most natural players and musicians I’ve come across and as a composer, he possesses a unique voice that seems to draw from every genre of music, yet remains entirely it’s own entity. If I had to use one word to describe, it would be “refreshing.”  We will be performing several Byron selections including  Eugene, a suite in 6 movements which was written as a score for a 1960’s tv episode with comedy legend Ernie Kovacs. This piece was commissioned by the Bang on a Can All-stars and released on the album, A Ballad for Many in 2006. If you’re interested in more listening goodies, might I recommend the new EP “Seven,” which features Don’s 7 etudes for solo piano, written for one of my faaaaaaavorite pianists, Lisa Moore. The composition was nominated as a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize.

So, onto the next stop…..Amsterdam!!! OK, this is a place I have wanted to visit for quite some time now and I’m pretty psyched we will get to go there twice in the next few months! The concert in March will be at the Musiekgebouw and will feature Andriessen’s “Life” as well as “Ridegeway,” a piece by one of last year’s People’s Commissioning Fund composers, Kate Moore.

Which reminds me!! Sorry to jump ships here but I wanted to tell you about our annual People’s Commissioning Fund (PCF) concert at Merkin Hall a few weeks ago. This year we premiered four new works by Oscar Bettison, Christine Southworth, David Longstreth (of the Dirty Projectors) and Nik Baertsch. Every year this concert  is broadcast on WNYC’s New Sounds, hosted by John Shaefer. To hear the first of two broadcasts, click here.

Oscar Bettison’s The Afflicted Girl juxtaposed almost brutal cacophonies with the most hypnotizing, ethereal lines. There were many effective qualities throughout this composition, including the use of previously recorded samples and a variety of  ”non-traditional” sounds: bicycle bells, steel pan, tin cans, and an air horn.

In Concerning the Doodle by Christine Southworth, we totally got to rock out! This piece had a unique instrumentation, utilizing not only our instruments but also our voices, an Ewi(Electronic Wind Instrument), a Talk Box and a voice synthesizer. There was a video, by the  Clever Girls Collaborative, that went along with the music,  playfully outlining the adventures of a Golden Doodle. To hear the premiere performance of this piece and view a portion of the video, Canine Reverie, click here.

Next on the program were three vignettes by David Longstreth: Instructional Video, Matt Damon and Breakfast at J&M. Much like the music he writes for his band, I found this trilogy incredibly joyful and charming. What I found equally charming was the composer’s somewhat shy and awkward presence on stage when answering (and sometimes not answering) Shaefer’s questions. The music, in any case, spoke for itself. One thing Longstreth did say was that he felt his pieces all share a “goofy optimism,” a statement I would whole-heartedly agree with.

Last but certainly not least was Nik Baertch’s Modul 26…a total groove piece if you ask me. It begins with a soft vibration and slowly unfolds into a full-bodied organism, taking both listener and peformer on a journey through ” obsessive circular movement, superimposition of different meters and micro-interplay.” I mean really, there’s no better way to describe it. What I find so interesting about his music is that while it is extremely specific in principal and composition, it relies on and almost demands a certain amount of improvisation from the performer. Each part feeds off of another and develops accordingly. We got to work extensively on this particular Modul with Nik and I can honestly say it was different every time we played it. The idea was to let it grow organically and lead you where it wants…or maybe needs to go…

And where we need to go now is back on topic…

Our last stop after Amsterdam will be Knoxville, Tennessee, where we will join many artists such as the xx, Vampire Weekend,  the 802 Tour, Iva Bittova and the Dirty Projectors at the Big Ears Festival!  If you happen to be in the area, don’t miss our performances on March 27th at noon and midnight, featuring music by Evan Ziporyn, Michael Gordon, Thurston Moore, and David Longstreth….plus Terry Riley’s In C and Autodreamographical Tales.

That’s all for now! Please check out the Schedule page for details on performances and stay tuned for information regarding upcoming concerts in the Hague, Karlsruhe, and Copenhagen, as well the release of Everything Must Go (Albany Records), a compilation CD featuring the music of Martin Bresnick, including his Ballade for cello and piano. More to come….

Take care! -Ashley

Once again it is that time of year! Hopefully you are all snuggling in your warm houses, watching cheezy holiday flicks and drinking hot chocolate like meeeeeeee! Luckily, in Saratoga it will be a white Christmas, albeit a cold one.

So, it was a very exciting and busy fall for me!  In October, we (by we I mean the All-Stars) toured Beijing and Shanghai.  Having already been the year before, I sort of knew what to expect.  This trip, however, had a little more room for exploring. We walked through so many different parts of town, some trendy, some more traditional. Actually, it was the more traditional part of town that charmed me. I especially loved the markets, full of fish, feathered friends, frogs……soon to meet their demise of course…..ooops….well, such is life.  I kind of had this urge to knock over all the tanks and cages and let them go running (slithering, flopping, hopping, waddling—pick one) into the streets, but thought I better behave for once in my life.  Anyways, the whole trip was fulfilling on many levels, especially musically. My favorite concert had to be the one we played in D22, a night club in Beijing. I have never played in a venue like this before and must admit it was invigorating. We were all a little pooped, still jet-lagged, and it was an 11pm show to boot…..then all of a sudden, as soon as we hit the stage, the energy and adrenaline took over. We were packed on this small stage, all facing each other, playing to a completely psyched audience! There was this cloud of cigarette smoke cutting through the red-orange lights, and people hanging over the balcony above us waving their arms…..totally cool and unforgettable experience.

Next was a college state tour which began in Gainesville, Florida and continued through UNC Chapel Hill, Penn State, University of Maryland and finished at Zankel Hall in NYC. We were joined by Trio Mediaeval, a lovely and talented group of singers from Scandinavia, in premiering Julia Wolfe’s Steel Hammer, an evening length work based on the ballad of John Henry.  Bringing this piece to life was an extremely rewarding process. In the ten days we all spent together, we were able to rehearse and perform the work several times before bringing it home to NYC. More often than not, a performer doesn’t get to spend this much “quality” time with one piece of music, especially with the composer there! As a result, everyone was able to contribute, experiment, improvise and ‘grow’ the piece. I cannot think of a better way to make music, honestly.

I guess the only bad thing about being on the road is coming home and going our separate ways. You spend so much time with the same people, and you get to make music all day long…together…instead of alone in a practice room. I think I enjoy it too much, if that’s possible. So, the time in between tours is less exciting but I suppose absence makes the heart go fonder….and I also need to practice…a lot.

After Steel Hammer I got to spend some time in New Haven playing a concert with the Yale Camerata(a much needed trip down memory lane, btw). It was artistic director and founder, Marguerite Brooks’ 25th anniversary with the group as well as the annual Advent concert entitled: Dona Nobis Pacem(Give Us Peace). This year’s program featured Haydn’s  Missa in tempore belli, also known as the Paukenmesse(Kettledrum Mass), Mendelssohn’s Christus (part I) and the Martinu Nonet. I must say, even in sub-zero weather and sleet, the die-hards rallied and we had a full house. The concert always ends with choir and audience singing in tandem, with the hope for peace and harmony.

And so I will leave you with that thought and wish you all a wonderful New Year!!!

Don’t forget to take a look at the schedule page from time to time…more updates soon including concerts in NYC as well as Milan, Amsterdam and the Hague!

You can find more information about Bang on a Can and our concerts here: www.bangonacan.org

Hugs and Kisses!!!!!

Welcome back from what I hope was an adventure-filled summer for all of you! I’ve just settled myself back into reality as well as a new apartment and am gearing up for another season in the city.  Although I’m grasping at the last warm days of summer, the alluring traits of autumn have begun to charm me: crisp air, apple cider, falling leaves and a general feeling of starting over.

To recap, I had a rather chill summer, most of it spent looking for a place to live. However, in August I stayed two glorious weeks playing concerts in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Gallery Inn ( www.thegalleryinn.com ), a little slice of paradise overflowing with artistic inspiration! It’s owner, artist Jan D’Esopo created a magnificent hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The hallways, rooms and gardens are full of her beautiful sculptures and everywhere you go, music follows.  There is, in fact, a music room where our concerts were held—a very intimate, candle-lit salon housing a beautiful Steinway Grand and a view of the ocean that is to die for! Places such as this one are a rare find and they’re truly what “chamber music” is all about.

After that delicious get-away I topped my summer off  with a visit home to Saratoga. The Philly Orchestra was still fabulous, the Race Track took all my money and I watched entirely too much reality television, by the way.  After that, it was off to New Haven to record Martin Bresnick’s Ballade for cello and piano with the fabulous pianist, Lisa Moore. (another petite blonde who packs a punch!) I had the best time working with both of them on this piece. —-Stay tuned for more info! and go here… http://www.martinbresnick.com and here… http://www.lisamoore.org/

So here we are in September. There’s a lot happening and a lot coming up. First of all, I have finally started uploading some new audio/video files from this past year’s performances, the first of which include my trio’s debut concert at Yale University. Go check it out on my Audio/Video page!!! Secondly, I just had an amazing musical experience with the Metropolis Ensemble (http://metropolisensemble.org/) directed by Andrew Cyr. We gave a concert at Le Poisson Rouge the other night featuring the music of composer Jakub Ciupinski (http://www.ciupinski.pl/) One of the pieces on the program was an interactive composition/improvisation involving 3 celli, 3 flutes, bassoon, piano and an iPhone. Walking from table to table, Ciupinski and Cyr showed audience members how they could choose from several different themes, dynamics, melodies and instrumentations in order to create their own composition. Those selections were then transmitted to our Macs on stage, via Ciupinski’s program and the iPhone, where we were able to perform each table’s “work” without so much as batting an eye. The program was so solid and easy to understand, plus the possibilities are endless! Riding the wave of the future folks…

Coming up next weekend (September 26th) is Dvorak’s Cello Concerto and Bruch’s Kol Nidrei with the Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra. The following day, I will be playing Kol Nidrei again at the  Temple Beth Jacob in Newburgh. As many of you know, this weekend is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year and next Sunday (Sept 27th) is Yom Kippur, known as a “Day of Atonement” and also one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar. Kol Nidrei is an Aramaic declaration made at the beginning of the evening service of Yom Kippur. The name is taken from the opening words and translates as “All Vows”. While not technically a prayer, it is prayer-like which is evident in Bruch’s composition. The phrases are structured in a kind of “call and response” manner between cello and orchestra, not unlike that of the Yom Kippur liturgy.  In addition, the orchestration allows the solo cello a certain amount of flexibility with rhythm, dynamics, rubato, etc. This gives the entire work a “speaking” quality which, in my opinion, humanizes the music and conveys the solemn message of Yom Kippur. On this day we account for our transgressions against God and against others. We repent for those sins, seek absolution and ask God to annul any personal vows, meaning those made for personal gain, heretoforth.

heretoforth….I really wanted to use that.  And, in other words and other news, FROM HERE FORWARD is going to be…..

a lot of Bang on a Can!!!

Yes it’s true, I am going to be doing many many more things with this awesome group, including a series of concerts in Beijing and Shanghai this October,  tours throughout Europe and the U.S. as well as some very special concerts right here in NYC.  On November 21st we will be performing with Trio Mediaeval (http://www.triomediaeval.no/) at Zankel Hall in Carnegie, premiering Julia Wolfe’s newest work: Steel Hammer. Don’t miss this one!

OK. I think I’ve given you enough to digest for the time being so I will leave you now to go check out all the cool websites I listed in this blog…

xoxoxoxo…x…o.

Well it’s finally summertime and I am getting some much needed fun and sun!

Since my last post I have had quite a few performances in and around the city, including another appearance with the Bang on a Can All-Stars on the Look and Listen Festival, a few concerts at Le Poisson Rouge, and some memorable recitals in upstate NY as well.

The concert with Bang on a Can took place at an art gallery in SoHo called OK Harris and featured the works of Paul Lansky, Martin Bresnick (both of whom were at the concert for live interviews), Louis Andriessen, Arnold Dreyblatt and many more. I  enjoyed playing in this space mainly due to wonderful acoustics and a beautiful array of sculpture and artwork surrounding us! The audience was also surrounding us, as opposed to seated in front, which created a much more personal and inclusive feeling that night.

Next were two concerts at Le Poisson Rouge (www.lepoissonrouge.com). If you have not been to this venue, which happens to be on Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village, you MUST go immediately! Every night there is something exciting going on, be it a DJ spinning house and hip hop, a Steve Reich premiere or a trendy folk music group jamming from the West Coast.  The idea of this “club”  is to combine the art of music, cuisine and drink. The atmosphere is very retro-chic and the vibe is totally chill.  My first appearance there was with the chamber orchestra SymphoNYC, directed by Paul Haas. The program was a series of short compositions (by Haas) based on Barber’s Adagio for Strings, strategically placed within the Adagio to make one seamless work.  To conclude, we played the Adagio on it’s own without the “flection” pieces. The next concert was with the Canadian Chamber Orchestra of New York with which I have been playing since the fall. No, I’m not Canadian but my Dad is so, close enough. Anyways, this concert was entitled “Opera Trash” and featured the lovely and extraordinary Mezzo-Soprano, Ariana Chris. We basically got to play every beautiful and sexy Aria you can think of, everybody was happy, end of story.

The most recent performance of note was with Yale Alums at the Yale Club in NYC. This was a ‘pilot’ concert, if you will, of what hopes to be an on-going chamber music series at the club. The evenings’ line-up donned an all Ives program (Ives was a student at Yale University) with remarks by professor of composition and theory, Michael Friedmann: Ives Piano Trio ( ME!! Nicholas DiEugenio, violin and Adam Bloniarz,piano) a selection of songs sung by Abigail Nims, another fabulous Mezzo, and The Unanswered Question performed by Ensemble Polifonica, directed by Julian Pellicano. It was a wonderful concert in a wonderful venue. Here’s to many more like it….Souvenir de Florence perhaps?

Lastly, I am pleased to tell you that The Lorien Trio, of which I am a member, received third prize in this year’s international Fischoff Chamber Music Competition which was held at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana! Although we will be a bit more scattered geographically next year, the trio will continue and will bring you some wonderful music in the 2009/2010 season! Check out the Audio/Video page for a glimpse at some of our performances this year.

So, that about sums up my spring as far as concerts go. This summer I will be staying in NYC, looking for a new apartment, and practice practice practice! In August I’ll be giving a few recitals in San Juan, Puerto Rico with my pianist friends Theresa Kim and Wei-Jen Yuan! I will also be making an appearance at the Windham Chamber Music Series Gala concert in early July. Stay tuned for more Schedule updates!

Have a great summer! xxxxooooxxxx

Finally some sunshine after a long winter!  I am so ready for leisurely walks and lazy afternoons in the park. Around this time of year I always have to talk myself out of three things: hopping on a plane to Tahiti, blowing my money on new dresses and buying a dog that fits in my purse.  So far I’ve managed to harness the urge, but the season is young.

Now, here’s what’s crackalackin…

Recently I returned to New Haven for a concerto appearance with the Yale Philharmonia, which was really a treat! So many friendly faces both on stage and off.  I was especially pleased to see my teacher, Mr. Parisot , who is celebrating his 50th year at Yale University! In fact, there will be a Yale Cellos concert to honor him at the YSM on April 2o and then at Zankel Hall in NYC the following evening, April 21. The program will feature music of Ezra Laderman, Dave Brubeck, Villa-Lobos and more.  At the end of that week (April 26th to be exact) you can catch me back in Have, rocking the continuo part of Haydn’s Creation with the Yale Glee Club! The piece is amazing… it is also long. It is amazingly long, therefore, one will feel extremely elated about having experienced amazing-ness for such a lengthy period of time.  So don’t miss it!

This year has really been all about contrast. I’ve had so many opportunities to explore different genres of music from early to contemporary to all-out rock’n'roll!  About a week ago, I took the stage once again with the ever-so-cool Bang on a Can All-Stars…this time they brought a friend: Lee Ranaldo, best known as a co-founder  and guitarist of the band Sonic Youth.  He wrote a piece called How Deep are Rivers? (a map is a good piece of paper) which concluded the other night’s program and basically lit the roof on fire with a SICK (this is a good thing) guitar solo that escalated into a whirlwind of sound: droning, pulsating, high frequency, radio interference, in your face, louder IS better, go for broke, turn red in the face, break all your bow hair, set off some hearing aids- -kind– of– stuff.            Ya, that felt good.

I will be playing again with the All-Stars at the Look and Listen Festival on…

May 1, 8pm: OK Harris.

Works by Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, Martin Bresnick, Tania Leon, David Lang, Paul Lansky, and many more.  Check out the website!!    http://www.lookandlisten.org/media/press/

Also, take a look at some new photos in the Gallery from my concert with the Newburgh Symphony Orchestra!

Take care for now! -Ash

Hey there!

So I just got back from a concert with the All-Stars  in Vancouver, BC and I must say this is one of the most charming cities I have ever seen. We stayed on Granville Island in a charming hotel on a boulevard quite reminiscent of  Toon Town if I may say so. All the stores and cafés are so colorful and cute, the roads are cobble-stoned and people sing romantic french songs in the square on Monday mornings.  I was salivating at every bakery and deli and I actually had time to drink my coffee sitting down instead of spilling it on myself as I chase down a taxi. And get this, cars in Vancouver stop for you to walk across the street. There are very few blinking RED HANDS lurking about. My friend remarked that he has recently commited to waiting on the sidewalk  for the light to change instead of the normal, three feet from the curb–ready to dash to the next block stance I have become quite accustomed to since moving to the city. I think he may have something there. Just because NYC is fast paced, doesn’t mean we can’t slow things down a bit from time to time.

The concert was at the Chan Centre at UBC. FABULOUS HALL is all I have to say. The acoustics are superb and so was the crowd. I had the most wonderful time playing with the All-Stars as well. The best part is that all the instruments are amplified in this group, including me. I am so used to having to “project” as a cellist it was a pleasure not to worry about it for once. We had an incredible sound engineer, Jody Elff who made sure everything was sounding the way it should, giving each instrument an equal playing field.  At times, the sound was so big it was awesome– in the real sense of the word. I felt happy to be part of something like that, it’s invigorating.

Don’t forget to check the Schedule page for some new concerts I have in April!  I have also added a few new photos for your entertainment.

Next Up:  Feb 20th,  The Lórien Trio makes it debut at Sudler Hall in New Haven CT. This is a piano trio that was started this past fall by myself, Nicholas Dieugenio (violin) and Ilya Poletaev (piano). The program will include works by Haydn, Beethoven and Schumann. Hope to see you there!

February 27th is a cello/piano recital at the Chapel of the Holy Innocents at Bard College with pianist Lucas Wong. I am very excited about this program mainly because all the pieces are new to me and hopefully some of them will be new to you as well. The Fauré Sonata and Ballade by Martin Bresnick are of special interest. I know you will enjoy them!  And even if not, there is always Piazzolla—everybody likes Piazzolla.

Until next time, be well and takes things slow. -Ashley

P.S I am listening to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ new album Raising Sand ….unbelievable, give it a listen.

I hope all of you are enjoying the holiday season where ever you may be! I will be spending time with family and friends in Saratoga Springs, NY which is buried in a foot of snow right now. Finally a White Christmas!!

After a brief regression to childhood, it’s back to work! There is a lot happening this winter and spring so be sure to check in every so often for updates. First, on February 8th I will be joining the Bang on a Can All-Stars (Evan Ziporyn, Mark Stewart, Robert Black and David Cossin) for a concert at the Chan Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada! This concert promises to be a fun one with an all contemporary program of music by David Lang, Michael Gordon, Thurston Moore, Julia Wolfe, Lukas Ligeti and Brian Eno. For more information please visit the All-Stars’ website at www.bangonacan.org.

Next I will be performing in recital with Pianist Lucas Wong at Bard College, my alma mater, on the 27th of February. Lucas and I went to the Yale School of music and he is currently a Collaborative Piano Fellow at the Bard Conservatory of Music. The program features works by Bach, Beethoven, Faure, Piazzolla and Martin Bresnick. Bresnick wrote his Ballade for cello and piano in 2004 for cellist Andre Emelianoff, who coincidentally is part of an ensemble, the Da Capo Chamber Players, in residence at Bard College. (Six degrees…always)

Following this concert I will also have two guest appearances with the Newburgh Symphony and the Yale Philharmonia. March 14th will be Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Dvorak’s Silent Woods in Newburgh NY and then April 4th in New Haven will feature Saint-Saens 2nd Cello Concerto. Hope to see you there!!!

In the meantime, I have had a lot of musical opportunity here in New York City and am enjoying a great deal of teaching and performing. I am thankful to have met so many wonderful musicians and new friends as well as stay in touch with old ones. Here’s to a fabulous 2008 and and even better 2009!

Thinking of you all,

Ashley

This is one of my favorite holidays and times of year! The leaves have turned, the air is crisp and everyone is enjoying the last warm days of the season. I for one, am kind of looking forward to the first snow fall. But, before I break out the Christmas lights, I’ll be checking out this year’s Hallow’s Eve parade in the Village! (By the way, for those of you who don’t know, the Village is the coolest part of NYC — a mon avis– and I plan to reside there…. if only in my dreams.)

New York is amazing and so full of life! There is always something happening be it a concert, a party or just a walk Central Park. I am constantly finding new nooks, crannies, cafe’s and just plain beautiful snapshots of life. Needless to say, my sensory system is still on overload and most likely will be until this time next year.

At the moment, I am preparing a few new works for performance, namely Derrick Wang’s cello sonata which will be performed at Ars Nova this November 16 with Wei-Jen Yuan, pianist extraordinaire (please see the Schedule Page for details on all upcoming concerts). Following that I will be working on a few recording projects and making a few guest appearances here and there—-stay tuned for an update of my concert with the Bang on a Can All Stars!

I’ll have more for you in the coming weeks, including some new audio/video clips and who knows, maybe some wacky Halloween pics to boot!

Enjoy the day, enjoy the weather and the people around you!

Be well,

Ashley

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful summer because I sure did! China and Korea were amazing! The concerts were well received and took place in some of the finest halls that Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai had to offer. We even got to play in the  Forbidden City Concert Hall (in Beijing). The sights were unbelievable and more importantly, the time spent with friends was unforgettable. Having friends from the area didn’t hurt either seeing as we had no idea what to eat or where to go out for a good time. I can honestly say that both Korean and Chinese food are #1. FABULOUS for very different reasons and #2. nothing like they are in the states. Whenever you order Chinese takeout from now on, understand that this is NOT real Chinese food. Now, I like me some General Tso’s every once and a while but somehow I cannot enjoy it as much after tasting the finer cuisine that both Beijing and Shanghai had to offer. ( I even ate Brains, yes, little piggy brains and they were delicious!) We also climbed the Great Wall which was probably my favorite attraction visited in China. Granted I almost killed myself climbing to the top but it was well worth the struggle. (I will post some pictures in the gallery)

Korea was very different from China in almost every way; food, culture, architecture, entertainment. What was nice is that we have five days to really explore on our own and experience the life there. There was not nearly as much freedom when we visited China due to concert/rehearsal scheduling, flights, etc. If you ever do have the chance to go, I recommend at least a week in each city. The one thing both places had in common…. Karaoke! I have never sang so well and so badly at the same time, in so many different Karaoke (or Noreban as they say in Korea) bars. They have actual buildings dedicated solely to Karaoke. Folks, its name be-eth Party World and we need-eth it HERE!
When I returned to New Haven there was obviously a bit of a let down, especially since I was saying goodbye to a lot of friends who had graduated in May and were moving away as I have done. It is difficult to accept that the people with whom you spent so many days or even years, are now oceans away. I can only hope that we will have the opportunity be together again some day.

So, here I am in the middle of Manhattan, in my little 5th floor walk-up, and it is really a dream come true. I recall visiting the city on several occasions as a kid and wishing I could just stay. Well, now I can and it turns out that this city is a lot bigger than one can imagine. The next few weeks will be all about exploration. New places, new faces, new everything.

I will keep you updated as always, but please check out my new Schedule page for a detailed list of my upcoming performances. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Luv,

Ashley

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! For me it has been a wonderful time with family and friends. Lots of beach, great food and good times.

In less than two weeks I will be heading to China and Korea with the Yale Philharmonia to give a few concerts in Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai. When I return, there will be a performance at the Bard Summerscape/New Albion Festival, featuring works by John Adams and Somei Satoh. I will be reuniting with many Yale colleagues to give this performance which promises to be an exciting one!

Stay tuned for a slate of fall events! I am looking forward to seeing you and meeting new faces!

Happy Fourth of July! -Ashley