Hub New Music

Called “contemporary chamber trailblazers” by The Boston Globe, Hub New Music is a “nimble quartet of winds and strings” (NPR) forging new paths in 21st-century repertoire. The ensemble’s ambitious commissioning projects and “appealing programs” (New Yorker) celebrate the rich diversity of today’s classical music landscape. Founded in 2013, Hub has grown into a formidable touring ensemble driven by an unwavering dedication to building community through new art. Across its career, Hub has commissioned dozens of new works and continues to usher in a fresh and culturally relevant body of work for its distinct combination of flute, clarinet, violin, and cello. Hub is proud to collaborate with today’s most celebrated emerging and established composers, and is equally proud to count many of them as friends.

Adam Tendler:

Adam Tendler is a recipient of the Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists and 2022 Yvar Mikhashoff Prize, and “currently the hottest pianist on the American contemporary classical scene” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), a “remarkable and insightful musician” (LA Times), and a “relentlessly adventurous pianist” (Washington Post) “joyfully rocking out at his keyboard” (New York Times). A pioneer of DIY culture in classical music, at age 23 Tendler performed solo recitals in all fifty states as part of a grassroots tour called America 88×50, the subject of his acclaimed coming-out memoir, 88×50. He has gone on to become one of classical music’s most recognized and celebrated artists, commissioning major works from composers as diverse as Christian Wolff and Devonté Hynes, and recently appearing as soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, and on the main-stages of Carnegie Hall, the Barbican Centre, and BAM.

An expert in the music of John Cage, Tendler has worked closely with the John Cage Trust, Merce Cunningham Trust, and Cage’s publisher, Edition Peters. He has also extensively performed the music of Julius Eastman and is featured on Wild Up’s latest album of the composer’s works, If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich, and Sō Percussion’s recording of Stay On It. Tendler recently released an album of Liszt’s Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses on the Steinway Label, Robert Palmer: Piano Music on New World Records, and published his second book, tidepools. He recently commissioned 16 works using the entire inheritance left to him by his father, including music by Laurie Anderson, Nico Muhly and Missy Mazzoli as part of a project called Inheritances, a New York Times Critic Pick described as “not only a display of contemporary compositional force, but also a true show…emotionally involving…with a sense of true dramatic stakes.” Adam Tendler is a Yamaha Artist and serves on the piano faculty of NYU.

Ayano Kataoka:

Percussionist and marimbist Ayano Kataoka is known for her brilliant and dynamic technique, as well as the unique elegance and artistry she brings to her performances. She has been a season artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center since 2006 when she was chosen as the first percussionist for the society’s prestigious residency program, The Bowers Program (formerly CMS Two). A retrospective of her early life along with interviews and performances were featured on the CMS’ live stream program Artist Series in fall 2021. Together with cellist Yo-Yo Ma at the American Museum of Natural History, Ms. Kataoka gave a world premiere of Bruce Adolphe’s Self Comes to Mind for cello and two percussionists, based on a text by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, and featuring interactive video images of brain scans triggered by the live music performance. She presented a solo recital as part of the prestigious B to C (Bach to Contemporary) recital series at the Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall, which was broadcast nationally in Japan on NHK, the national public station of Japan. Other highlights include a performance of Steven Mackey’s Micro-Concerto for Percussion Solo and Chamber Ensemble at Alice Tully Hall, a theatrical performance of Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale at the 92nd Street Y with violinist Jaime Laredo and actors Alan Alda and Noah Wyle, and performances of Bartok’s Sonata for Two Pianos and percussion at The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center with pianists Emanuel Ax and Yoko Nozaki. Her music festival appearances include Music@Menlo, Chamber Music Northwest, Yellow Barn, Lake Champlain, Caramoor, Bridgehampton, Skaneateles, Emerald City Music, ChamberFest West, and Salt Bay Chamberfest. Her performances can be also heard on Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, Bridge, New World, Albany and Music@Menlo LIVE recording labels.

A native of Japan, Ms. Kataoka began her marimba studies at age five, and percussion at fifteen. She started her performing career as a marimbist with a tour of China at the age of nine. She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the Tokyo University of the Arts, her Master of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory, and her Artist Diploma degree from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with world-renowned marimba virtuoso Robert van Sice. She is currently a full professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In fall/winter 2023-24, she will be teaching as a visiting professor at Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln. Website: ayanokataoka.com