7200 North Rogers Ave
Chicago IL 60645
<<MEDIA CONTACT>>
<<COMPANY NAME>>
(###) ###-#### x ###
<<E-MAIL ADDRESS>>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
<<NAME OF VENUE>> PRESENTS
FIFTH HOUSE ENSEMBLE AT <<LOCATION>>
FOR ___ PERFORMANCE(S) ONLY, <<DATE>>
Fifth House Ensemble’s “Black Violet” Marks Landmark Collaboration With
Graphic Novelist Ezra Claytan Daniels to Create Engaging Theatrical Experience
(CITY, STATE) – <<VENUE>> is thrilled to present Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble’s “Black Violet”
to <<CITY>> audiences for ___ performance(s) only <<DATE>> at <<TIME>>. Hailed by the New York
Times for its “conviction, authority, and finesse,” the eleven-piece Fifth House Ensemble combines
on-screen projections, staging, and live music to create a unique experience for audiences of all
types.
This collaboration with acclaimed writer and artist Ezra Claytan Daniels melds music of the highest
caliber, vivid imagery, riveting narrative, and compelling characters as graphic novel slides illustrate
the story. The addition of these elements to the chamber music concert experience connects the
characters and emotions onscreen with the live performance on stage, encouraging audiences to
listen actively and to discover how music can create an image, action, or character–drawing
listeners in and allowing them to experience the music on a deeper level.
Fifth House Ensemble’s full instrumentation is wind quintet, string quartet, bass and piano. Pieces
performed include Johannes Brahms’ “Horn Trio,” Walter Piston’s “Divertimento,” Hector Villa Lobos’
“Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6” and new works by emerging composers Jonathan Keren and Greg
Simon.
This gripping performance takes traditional thematic programming outside the box, forming a
graphic novel trilogy, created by Claytan Daniels, with a story centered around the last outbreak of
the plague in London. During this time, it was widely believed that black cats were the source of the
disease decimating Europe. They, along with other domestic pets, were systematically rounded up
and exterminated en masse. The resulting shift in the natural predatory hierarchy sent the rat
populations soaring – the same population that was in fact the real carrier of the plague. The
storyline of “Black Violet” follows a black cat named Violet as she navigates the dangers of
London’s plague-ravaged streets, where things are not as they seem and friends are made in
unexpected places.
To learn more about “Black Violet,” check out a trailer for the series or view clips of the
performances at <<VENUE WEBSITE>>. “Black Violet” will be performed at <<LOCATION>> on
<<DATE>> at <<TIME>>. Tickets are $___ and can be purchased by calling (XXX) XXX-XXXX or online
at <<WEBSITE>>.
-morephone: 224.715.6455
email: info@fifth-house.com
website: www.fifth-house.com
ABOUT FIFTH HOUSE ENSEMBLE
Founded in 2005, the Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble is a versatile and dynamic group that
has established itself as a regular on the Chicago chamber music scene. Fifth House has
participated in some of the city’s most well-regarded series including the Rush Hour Concerts at St.
James and Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, in addition to regular appearances on WFMT.
Other recent projects include a performance of Olivier Messiaen's “Quartet for the End of Time” at
the Adler Planetarium's historic Sky Theater, a couture music program for the Driehaus Fashion
Awards for Excellence, and a composer portrait of Galina Ustvolskaya at NYC's Miller Theatre.
Currently Ensemble in Residence at Carthage College, 5HE's innovative educational endeavors
have resulted in performances and residencies at Chicago public schools and the Chicago Cultural
Center in partnership with the International Music Foundation, the Chicago Teachers’ Center, and
Ravinia’s Reach*Teach*Play program. Fifth House Ensemble's mission is to tap the collaborative spirit
of chamber music to create engaging performances and interactive educational programs, forging
meaningful partnerships with unexpected venues, artists of other disciplines, educational institutions,
and audiences of every type.
For more information on the ensemble, visit www.fifth-house.com.
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phone: 224.715.6455
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email: info@fifth-house.com
website: www.fifth-house.com