South Beach Chamber Ensemble

The mission of the South Beach Chamber Ensemble (SBCE) is to promote and perform chamber music in all its diverse forms, from its origins in the distant past to the varied cultural creations being produced today, bringing together performers, composers and audiences to experience the beauty and intimacy of the human spirit. We envision a world where chamber music inspires and energizes all people, creating peace, harmony, joy and unprecedented satisfaction in being alive. Our International Cultural Exchanges brought together new audiences abroad. In 2005 Music in Motion: Miami to Rio consisted of a concert at the Villa-Lobos Museum in Rio de Janeiro, a performance at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach and programs for high school students in each city. In September 2007 Music in Motion: Miami-Argentina-Brazil expanded to present piano trio performances and student programs with the internationally renowned Brazilian pianist, Licia Lucas. Together, we played in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, then traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina and returned to play in Miami Beach. Both projects were featured with a live performance on WLRN’s Arts Beat with Ed Bell. One of our musical interests is South American chamber music, an exciting way to cross cultural barriers and bring diverse audiences together. A piano trio by Brazilian composer Guilherme Bernstein Seixas was dedicated to the South Beach Chamber Ensemble and had its North American premiere in Miami Beach. Executive Director Michael Andrews has attended the Chamber Music America Annual Conference in New York for many years. These conferences are stimulating, educational and inspirational. Being there gives national stature to the South Beach Chamber Ensemble. Meeting composers at the conference is one of the most exciting opportunities available to attendees. As a result we collaborated with Boston composer Pamela Marshall, whose string quartet “Truth Becoming” had it’s southeastern US premiere with us in Miami Beach in February 2007. We commissioned Quinteto sobre los poemas de Carlos Pintado from her (inspired by the poetry of Miami Beach’s Carlos Pintado) and performed the world premiere in Miami Beach on May 17, 2009. Our strategy to develop musically includes application for funding from the Knight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts and other national organizations, foundations, corporations and individuals, giving us the opportunity to play more challenging and collaborative repertoire (such as late Beethoven string quartets, Bartok and contemporary works). We were a Knight Foundation Arts Challenge Miami 2011 finalist for our project Mozart on the Move. In an effort to bring chamber music to all parts of the world we inaugurated South Beach Up North, a summer chamber music festival in Mr. Andrews’ hometown of Wausau, Wisconsin, June 2006. Major funding comes from the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, local corporations and individuals. 2012 marks our seventh year directing this festival and performing in Wisconsin. We were named ensemble-in-residence at Barry University in January 2009. Our November 2009 Sleepless Night collaboration on the Main Stage in Miami Beach with Hip Hop artist, Nigerian dancer-drummer and Cuban poet was a huge success, with several thousand people attending what Miami New Times declared a “Best Bet.” Mozart on the Move was featured at Sleepless Night in November 2011. http://sobechamberensemble.org/https://artburstmiami.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/South-Beach-Miami.jpghttps://artburstmiami.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Salon2010-Quartet-Photo.jpg