The Zafa Collective

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The Zafa Collective The Zafa Collective is a new music ensemble currently based in Chicago.

The Zafa Collective was formed in 2016 by co-founders Hannah Christiansen (violin) and Casey Karr (double bass). The Chicago-based new music ensemble follows in the footsteps of Ensemble Dal Niente and ICE with its flexible instrumentation, allowing Zafa to choose its repertoire with no limitations. Formed upon the idea that classical music should be inclusive and accessible both in terms of programming and performance, the Zafa Collective actively seeks music from outside the canon of Western art music. Zafa presents programs with diverse aesthetics, seeking to make contemporary music accessible and appealing to as wide of an audience as possible. In their opening season, The Zafa Collective premiered works by Michal Massoud, Theo Chandler, Connor Singh Vanderbeek, and Derek Tywoniuk, and worked with composers including Ellen Ruth Harrison, Eliza Brown, and Sato Matsui. Zafa has performed in a wide range of venues, from Constellation to Ganz Hall to private homes. As a part of their mission to make new music accessible and inclusive, the Zafa Collective launched their Salon Series in November, 2016. The Salon Series is a monthly program of smaller chamber works performed in non-traditional venues. These concerts are informal, BYOB, and admission is free, although Zafa does accept donations in place of ticket sales. The Zafa Collective opened the Salon Series at TamWim, a carpet gallery in Ravenswood, and completed the second performance of the series at a private home in Rogers Park. Zafa has since hosted Salon Series events in Albany Park and Wicker Park and looks forward to performing in more spaces soon. If you are interested in hosting a Salon Series event at your business or private home, please send us an email!

In less than 2 weeks we're back at Constellation for Frequency Series Presents: Zafa Collective! The program includes Re...
10/05/2022

In less than 2 weeks we're back at Constellation for Frequency Series Presents: Zafa Collective! The program includes Rebecca Bracewell's Barrenness, a new work for string quartet and percussion inspired by early electronics composer Bebe Barron. Bracewell was a 2020/2021 Bouman Fellow with Kinds of Kings, who are also represented on this program via Shelley Washington's string quartet Middleground. Additional works by Tania León, Octavio Serrano, and Alexis C. Lamb will also be performed.

05/05/2022

Tonight’s the night! Here’s a photo from our final rehearsal. The performance is TONIGHT, Thursday, May 5th at 7pm at the Poetry Foundation. The performance is free but there are only a few tickets left so register right away. The link to register is in the comments.

The Zafa Collective is performing the world premiere of my opera, I DID, DID I? with Christina Pecce, performer and me singing with them and Maurice Cohn conducting. The libretto is by Gina Elia and me. I can’t wait to share the performance with you all. Zafa sounds AMAZING!!

In less than ✨one week✨ we're performing the world premiere of Liza Sobel Crane,'s opera I DID, DID I? at Poetry Foundat...
29/04/2022

In less than ✨one week✨ we're performing the world premiere of Liza Sobel Crane,'s opera I DID, DID I? at Poetry Foundation! Join us 7pm Thursday, May 5 for this free, in-person event. The performance does require registration to attend, so follow the link below to register and to learn more about I DID, DID I?

libretto: Liza Sobel Crane and Gina Elia
personnel: Liza Sobel Crane, Christina Pecce, Hannah Christiansen, Kelly Quesada, Suzanne Hannau, Nico Chona, Louise Chan, Josh Graham, and Maurice Cohn

Join us for the world premiere of I DID, DID I? by Liza Sobel, libretto by Liza Sobel and Gina Elia, performed by The Zafa Collective.

22/03/2022
Tonight!! The venue is sold out but you can attend via ✨livestream✨!
18/03/2022

Tonight!! The venue is sold out but you can attend via ✨livestream✨!

We are so thrilled to be performing a portrait concert of the incredible Polish-American composer Marta Ptaszyńska’s music at 7 pm on March 18 at the Polish...

Our upcoming program of Marta Ptaszyńska's music has been sold out for almost a week(!) but you can tune in via livestre...
16/03/2022

Our upcoming program of Marta Ptaszyńska's music has been sold out for almost a week(!) but you can tune in via livestream at the link below. Join us at 7pm (central) on March 18!

We are so thrilled to be performing a portrait concert of the incredible Polish-American composer Marta Ptaszyńska’s music at 7 pm on March 18 at the Polish...

We are so thrilled to be performing a portrait concert of the incredible Polish-American composer Marta Ptaszyńska’s mus...
02/03/2022

We are so thrilled to be performing a portrait concert of the incredible Polish-American composer Marta Ptaszyńska’s music at 7 pm on March 18 at the Polish Consulate in Chicago! Marta has long been a force in the Chicago music community and we are excited to showcase such an important member of the Polish community our city. Due to limited seating capacity, attendance is by invitation only, but keep an eye out for a livestream link nearer the concert date. This concert was made possible in part by a grant from the American Music Project, as well as additional support from the Polish Government and the Chicago Chapter of The Kosciuszko Foundation.

Red Rays (Flute/Piano)
Graffito (Marimba)
White Shadows (Violin/Piano)
Lullaby for Benjamin (Flute/Vibes)
Gates of Light (Cello/Piano)
Sappho Songs (Flute+String Trio)

Personnel:

Hannah Christiansen, Violin
Teddy Schenkman, Viola
Isidora Nojkovic, Cello
Nicole Frankel, Flute
Josh Graham, Percussion
Katherine Petersen, Piano

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