MISSION.
To create a community online for artists to collaborate on new compositions. zFestival strives to empower our participating artists with technological knowledge and experience to expand their creative output to digital media, along the way encouraging intuitive and innovative solutions to challenges posed by a virtual experience.
HISTORY.
zFestival was established to facilitate the performance of new musical works despite the challenges posed to musicians by the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe young musicians — particularly those approaching music with classical ideals — can reach greater audiences using the capabilities of the Internet. zFestival requires no admission fee for our composers, performers, audio engineers and filmmakers; our hope is to lower barriers to entry for artists to partake in a festival experience.
THE FESTIVAL.
Participant performers will be organized into chamber ensembles, each of which will be assigned a new work by a participant composer. Prior to the start of the festival, composers and performers will meet for workshops via videoconference. The festival itself will consist of scheduled rehearsals of the finalized scores, as well as masterclasses, presentations, and discussions on topics related to composition, performance, and recording, all using digital technologies. Performers will either record their own parts, to be edited and mixed by participant audio engineers, or prepare a piece to be performed live via videoconference. After the close of the festival, the final recordings will be presented in a two-night gala event.
The 2021 Festival will take place during the month of July. Ensembles will receive draft scores in late June. The final gala performance will take place on July 31st and August 1st.
CONTACT.
STAFF.
Peter Traver, Co-Artistic and Executive Director
Peter Traver is a singer and multimedia technician based in Cambridge, MA. He graduated from Brown University in 2018 with a degree in Music (Theory, History and Composition) and Applied Mathematics. In addition to music and technology, Peter has worked at a non-profit start up focused on teaching children the sport of orienteering. Peter is a grand prize winner of the Crescendo International Music Competition and a finalist at the NH Opera Idol competition. He has served as performer, conductor, composer, audio engineer and filmmaker for projects spanning operas, musicals, documentaries and short films. Often not knowing the difference between one medium and another, Peter is excited about the idea of mapping one piece of artwork to other media as a matter of creation through documentation.
Shoshana Klein, Co-Artistic and Operations Director
Shoshana Klein is an oboist currently living in Montreal while pursuing her master’s degree at McGill University. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017 with a degree in music and psychology, and in May 2018 with an advanced musical studies certificate. Shoshana has worked on the administration and production side of the music industry with CityMusic Cleveland, ChamberFest Cleveland, El Sistema Global, and Alia Musica Pittsburgh. Shoshana is particularly interested in contemporary applications and social impacts of music. With a specific interest in new music, she has attended the Fresh Inc. and Bang on a Can Festivals, as well as Project Trio’s Improvisation Studio. She has performed dozens of world premieres and original compositions, including performances at venues in Montreal, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, New York City, and North Adams, Massachusetts.
zFestival 