loadbang

New music chamber group loadbang, called "Exceedingly inventive" by Time Out New York, is building a new kind of music for mixed ensemble. Their unique lung-powered instrumentation (bass clarinet, trumpet, trombone, baritone voice) has provoked diverse responses from composers, resulting in a broad stylistic palette ranging from wordless microtonal meditations to broad political satire. In the past three years, they have premiered more than 40 works, including several written by members of the band, and a new arrangement by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang. They also perform works for indeterminate ensemble, including such New York School classics as Brown's December 1952 and Cage's Four6 and Song Books. Not content to dwell solely in the realm of notated music, loadbang is known for its searing and unpredictable improvisations, exploring the edges of instrumental and vocal timbre and technique, and blurring the line between composed and extemporaneous music. To this end, they have embarked on a project to record improvisations and works written by members of the band, designing fabricating and releasing hand-made copies in a limited edition. Recent performances include appearances at the Roger Smith Hotel on Talea Ensemble's iNSIDE Out series, a program of all premieres at Issue Project Room, and a performance of Cage's Song Books on the Avant Media Festival. The members of loadbang met as part of the first class of Manhattan School of Music's Contemporary Performance program.