OUR STORY
LAUNCH
We announced THE EAR in MAY 2015. More Than 1100 composers immediately signed up.
EAR1 – OCT 2015
THE EAR put on its first show. Steinway donated a piano for the evening. A packed house encored SEVEN out of nine pieces! Unprompted, strangers formed pockets to discuss their reactions. When we saw that, we knew we were onto something.
EAR2 – FEB 2016
The owner of Le Poisson Rouge, the underground classical venue in Greenwich Village, invited us to perform. We experimented with our first comedy bits. The audience loved it.
EAR3 – NOV 2017
We expanded from piano-only to include string 4tet. As an additional segment to the evening, Chopin (piano) and U2 (guitar+singer) faced each other in a duel of melodies. (It was a draw.)
EAR4 + EAR5 – FALL 2018
This was a big RAMP UP. We partnered with string orchestra, Shattered Glass. Composers flew in from all over the world. A comedian warmed up the crowd. A hilarious panel commented between pieces. (People yelled “Panel!” when Alf Bishai, founder and emcee, almost forgot them once.) A jazz pianist, Davis Whitfield, performed an improvisation on a piece from the previous Ear. The crowd was both young and old, all having a great time together around NEW CLASSICAL MUSIC!
2020 (COVID) – 2025
Unable to produce events because of covid, we experimented with a video-only format. It couldn’t capture the magic and energy of the live, collective experience. We’ve regrouped and come out swinging in 2025, launching our new model of collaboration with orchestras.
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SOME CANDIDS from THE EAR
The audience voting using our lightning fast Analog Computer – marbles traveling down PVC pipes into a bucket, tallied quickly by water displacement.
Composer, Lisa Hogan, conferring with pianist, Vladimir Rumyantsev, before the show.
An audience member expressing her thoughts on Composition No.2.
Composer, Tyler Eschendal warning Alf that he has his number.
Just two young women at a normal classical concert. At the Ear, we’re convinced that classical can be an evening of fun, beauty and deep human connection when centered around living composers.
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