Utka Ensemble was founded out of a desire to bring unique classical music experiences to audiences outside of the concert hall. Our first initiative was to found the Storybook Music Project which aims to commission and perform a diverse body of chamber music works to be presented with story books.
Many of us are familiar with Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” which incorporates a family-friendly story and orchestral music to introduce instruments of the orchestra, engage young audiences, and promote children’s literacy. Through a combination of rearranging music by unsung composers of the past and commissioning a diverse set of living composers, Utka Ensemble has a curated catalog of music that can be played in libraries, community centers, schools, and other non-traditional concert venues.
We hope our music can expand the audience for classical music, support library programming, and encourage literacy in young people, and most importantly promote a contemporary relationship between classical music and the community.