Mission
Founded in 2003, the Callisto Ensemble erases boundaries between antique
and modern music. The ensemble members, violinists Stefan Hersh and Robert Waters, violist
Roger Chase, and cellist Julian Hersh, bring contemporary music to life
alongside passionate performances of standard masterpieces.
The Callisto Ensemble gives audiences a unique window to the language of modern composers, through season-long surveys of a living
composers' works and through the provocative juxtaposition of old and new. The Ensemble promotes
the creation and dissemination of new works through commissions, world premier performances and
premiere recordings. In 2006 the Ensemble released a CD of chamber works of acclaimed composer Augusta Read Thomas, Prairie Sketches,
with Cliff Colnot, conductor, Tony Arnold, soprano, and Amy Briggs Dissanayake, piano.
The Callisto Ensemble is also committed to growing and educating a new generation of listeners. Under its program "Callisto for Kids," the ensemble presents inner-city educational concerts that introduce young people to the languages of classical music and provokes students to think about what music and the arts can mean in their lives.
The Callisto Ensemble artists leverage their collective vision to craft performances that are accessible, fresh, and relevant to modern audiences. These musicians share a deep commitment both to rigorous integrity as instrumentalists and to faithful adherence to the composers' intentions.