Collaborations
Since 1993, the Colorado Chamber Players has delighted in collaborating with some of the leading arts and community organizations in metro Denver.
Haydn Quartet Slam, 2012-2013
The CCP led a community-wide celebration of the string quartets of Franz Josef Haydn. All 68 quartets were performed by participating ensembles, including the CCP, Colorado Symphony members, Intermezzo Ensemble, Lamont Academy, Denver Eclectic Concerts, Denver Adult Amateurs and Friends of Chamber Music.
Two great leaders, both known as fathers in their discipline, were the basis of a wonderful hybrid theatre/music production by Josh Hartwell. Franz Josef Haydn, the father of the string quartet, conversed with humor and delight with George Washington, the father of the USA. Four Mile Historic Park, Boulder Public Library and the Bennett Schools collaborated with the Colorado Chamber Players in an educational project in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Spirited Conversations with Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado
Colorado Chamber Players collaborated with Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado musicians, for three concert in March 2019, at Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Regis Claver Hall and PACE Events Center. All three concerts raised much needed funds for three local food banks: Food Bank of the Rockies, Parker Food Drive, and Metro Caring.
A Little Fright Music, with Stories on Stage
In fall 2019, Colorado Chamber Players collaborated with Stories on Stage in several performances of “A Little Fright Music”. The central piece on the program was Andre Caplet’s Conte Fantastique, based on the Edgar Allen Poe story Masque of the Red Death, narrated by Mare Trevathan. Performers included Emily Levin, harp, and the CCP string quartet (Paul Primus and John Fadial, Violins; Barbara Hamilton, Viola; Beth Vanderborgh, Cello), as well as John Jurchek, actor.
Incessant Hum
Jeff Neuman’s brilliant script Incessant Hum was premiered in January 2020, in collaboration with Boulder Library, Metropolitan Arts Academy and Think360 Arts. Along with the CCP string quartet and Andrew Cooperstock, Piano, the collaboration featured Chris Kendall as Beethoven and Chelsea Frye as Elise; directed by Mare Trevathan. Hearing Loss Association of America Rocky Mountain Chapter was a partner in the project, which examined Beethoven’s emotional world as he dealt with his increasing deafness.
Curious Theatre: Soul in Turmoil
Josh Hartwell’s script about the tumultuous life of Tschaikovsky and his struggles to survive as a gay man in Tsarist Russia, was produced in collaboration with Curious Theatre and Colorado Academy. Actors included Brock Bensen (Tschaikovsky) and Brian Kusic.
Kim Robards Dance
Original choreography by Kim Robards Dance was paired with Colorado Chamber Players musicians with Musings on Music and Motion (2016), with performances at Teikyo Loretta Heights Theatre, Brighton Armory, and KRD studios. Previous collaborations in 2010 included performances at the Lone Tree Arts Center and area schools.
Young Chamber Players, with Denver Young Artists Orchestra and Denver School of the Arts
The Colorado Chamber Players had a five-year residency from 2013-2018 at Denver School of the Arts, working with DSA orchestra and band students in weekly chamber music coachings, outreach, presentation and teamwork skills. The CCP had a four-year residency with the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, 2001-2005 through Chamber Music America, that supported 35 concerts, dozens of coaching sessions, and outreach to schools and senior residences.
Denver School of the Arts students perform at Children’s Hospital with CCP members, and at the Concert Hall at DSA.
Bach Cantatas and Art of the Fugue, with Colorado Bach Ensemble
Colorado Chamber Players was honored to collaborate with the Colorado Bach Ensemble in performances of JS Bach’s complete Art of the Fugue for string quartet in Denver and Ft. Collins (spring 2013) as well as Bach Cantata evenings at First United Methodist Church in Boulder and Bethany Lutheran Church (October 2013).
Medusa, with David Taylor Dance Theatre
David Taylor Dance Theatre, with James Wallace (choreographer and director) performed the ballet Medusa: A Story of Lust, Revenge and Murder, with live music by the Colorado Chamber Players.
Performances occurred at Lakewood Cultural Center and area high schools.
Mizel Arts Center at the Denver JCC
Over a 10-year period, the Colorado Chamber Players collaborated with the Mizel Arts Center’s visual art, lecture, film departments, in multi-disciplinary projects that focused on fascinating subjects. Joanne Marks Kauvar, Director of Mizel Arts Center, curated all projects during this period.
1994-1996: Composers of the Holocaust
1997: Displacement and the Creative Spirit: Entartete Musik. Concert programs included Exiles in Hollywood (Korngold and Rosza); Decadence/Weimar Cabaret (Schoenberg, Satie, Eisler, Schulhoff, Milhaud); and Upheaval and Refuge (Bloch, Hindemith and Kapralova).
1999: Red Scare/Black List: McCarthyism and the Arts, music of composers who were blacklisted such as Marc Blitzstein, Lukas Foss, Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.
2000: Jewish Descent/Jewish Dissent, including music of Marc Blitzstein in The Cradle Will Rock, Jesse Levine, Conductor.
2001: Music of South America, with music of Osvaldo Golijov, Mario Davidovsky.
2002: Russian Revolutions: Russia, Jews and the Avant-Garde, with Marc Chagall’s Paris Circle and Leningrad: Defiant Music of Weiner and Shostakovich, with guest soprano Nadezda Shabanina.
2003: New York, New York, music of Bruce Adolphe, Bloch, Paul Schoenfield, Jacob Druckman, Bernstein, Leo Smit, Aaron Jay Kernis. Art exhibits, films and lectures examined the incredible creativity of Jewish artist refugees and emigres to New York.
Colorado Opera Troupe
The Colorado Chamber Players expanded to a chamber orchestra to perform 6 productions 1995-2003 with Colorado Opera Troupe, including La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, Salome, and Fledermaus.
October 15-17, 1999: Der Fledermaus, with conductor Elizabeth Schulze, at Teikyo Loretto Heights.
September 23-26, 2000: La Boheme, with conductor Elizabeth Schulze, at Teikyo Loretto Heights.
September 19 and 21, 2003: Colorado Opera Troupe Femmes Fatales: Carmen and Salome, conducted by Adam Flatt, collaboration with Colorado Chamber Players.
Friends of Chamber Music
The CCP and Friends of Chamber Music Denver (FCM) collaborated on numerous projects.
The two organizations co-presented guitarist Sharon Isbin in December 1999 for school outreach and a formal concert at Temple Events Center.
The CCP and FCM co-presented bi-lingual (Spanish/English) school outreach at dozens of metro Denver schools, including Southmoor, Carson, Green, Virginia Court Elementary Schools; East and North High Schools; Colorado Academy and Graland School.
Central City Opera and Colorado Children's Chorale: Brundibar
The Colorado Chamber Players co-presented Hans Krasa’s Brundibar with Central City Opera and the Colorado Children’s Chorale on February 19 and 20, 2005, an opera with children’s voices written by Krasa while he was interned at Terezin. The opera was performed at Terezin 55 times in 1943 and 1944, and most of the performers were deported to Auschwitz, where they were gassed.
A member of the original cast in Terezin, Ela Stein Weissberger (who played the role of the cat), survived the Holocaust. Ela gave introductory remarks for the February 2005 performances, and worked with the cast leading up to the performances.