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Ensembles

New Music

Polymorphia

FSU has a long and rich tradition of presenting new music to our audiences throughout the year. The premiere new music ensemble, Polymorphia’s mission is to expose its participants and audience to the variety of trends and aesthetics within the wide scope of contemporary music. Founded in August 2019 by a current ensemble director Liliya Ugay, this group offers several concerts each year involving around 20 student-performers. The ensemble welcomes both undergraduate and graduate students as well as strong performers who major in non-performance areas but are passionate about new music. Each student communicates to the ensemble director their preference regarding the load of assigned repertoire. There is no formal audition; the performers are usually recommended by FSU faculty members, with the exceptions of non-performance majors who demonstrated their passion, ability, and desire to perform new music. On some occasions members of the FSU faculty join the forces of the ensemble.

Polymorphia focuses on performing concert works written in recent years as well as the established repertoire of the 20th/21st century. Recent performances included pieces by composers Thomas Adès, Kati Agócs, Louis Andriessen, Krists Auznieks, Martin Bresnick, Matthew Bridgham, John Cage, Clifton Callender, Gérard Grisey, Jake Heggie, Jennifer Higdon, Charles Ives, Laura Kaminsky, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, Krzysztof Penderecki, Andreia Pinto Correia, David Reminick, Justina Repečkaitė, Erin Rogers, Alfred Schnittke, Gabriella Smith, and Ellen Zwilich. Often the ensemble members receive direct feedback from the composer (if living) after the performance. 

Another important mission of Polymorphia is to collaborate and premiere music by FSU composers. Each semester the group showcases works by several FSU students selected through a semiannual Polymorphia Call for Scores. 

Polymorphia is central to the Biennial FSU Festival of New Music, a three-day event that showcases new music for all types of large and small musical ensembles. 

Links to pre-recorded concerts:
FSU Composers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32-EC0WqeCg&t=2550s
FSU Composers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN4UrvUJUS8&t=29s
Pulses and Crossings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0SWcdiCV1U&t=26s
Ire and Solace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_YG0xt4thM