Boston Musica Viva

Specialties

Boston Musica Viva was founded in 1969 as the first ensemble in Boston devoted to the performance of contemporary music. Ensemble members include Ann Bobo, flute; William Kirkley, clarinet; Robert Schulz, percussion; Geoffrey Burleson, piano; Bayla Keyes, violin; and Jan Müller-​Szeraws, cello. Music Director Richard Pittman lead’s BMV’s four-​concert subscription series at Boston University’s Tsai Performance Center.

History

Established in 1969.

Boston Musica Viva (BMV) is dedicated to presenting the ever-​evolving music of our time, performed by musicians who play with virtuosic precision and passionate involvement. Its mission is to broaden experience, knowledge, and enjoyment of every style of new music by embracing the full range of today’s compositional activity and giving voice to music that might otherwise not be heard.

BMV’s commissioning program has brought into being essential new works for chamber ensemble and an intriguing spectrum of music for young audiences as well as operas, music theater works, and multimedia collaborations. BMV is particularly proud to have been an early champion of composers such as Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, John Harbison, Joseph Schwantner, and Steven Stucky, each of whom later went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. In its 40-​year history, BMV has performed more than 592 works by 244 composers. These include 154 works written specifically for BMV, 169 world premieres, and 75 Boston premieres.