THE HORIZON ENSEMBLE
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the Horizon Ensemble is an orchestra that performs music of history and music by friends. We are dedicated to performing orchestral and chamber music by young living composers alongside the diverse repertoire of history. Founded in May 2021, in the past four years, we’ve performed eighteen amazing concerts here in the heart of Boston!
Music by Friends
Every Horizon Ensemble concert features at least one piece by a young living composer. So far, we’ve collaborated with 22 different composer friends to present their new works, including 14 world premieres! By supporting the development of emerging composers, we are investing in the future of composition and building community in the music world.
Music from History
We draw from the rich repertoire of the past to color our performances. Through historical and musical research, we present a wide variety of pieces from history. This includes a lot of music by women and by composers of color, whose music we are committed to featuring as part of our concert programs!
Music for Everyone
Our primary mission is to build community between artists and audiences of Boston and beyond. Towards this goal, our concerts are all FREE, both in-person and by livestream, and physically accessible to guests with disabilities. We want everyone to enjoy our music, from classical newcomers to veterans. Towards this goal, our shows are welcoming, friendly, and informative, thanks to concert speeches and program notes.
We are part of the Mass Cultural Council's Card to Culture program in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Department of Public Health's WIC Nutrition Program, and the Massachusetts Health Connector. EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders receive free admission to Horizon Ensemble concerts; photo IDs or program cards are not required. See the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.
Community Partnerships
The Horizon Ensemble loves to partner with other arts organizations on concerts and shows! We’ve teamed up with poets from the Trident Poetry Collective and dancers from the Janelle Gilchrist Dance Troupe. We’ve also starred as the pit orchestra for opera productions with companies such as MassOpera and Boston Summer Opera.
We also invite community groups to be a part of our shows and advance their missions. For example, the Charles River Watershed Association presented their work and materials in our concert Shades of Autumn. During Poulenc Party, we hosted a post-concert discussion on queer identities with the QT Library. More collaborations to come!
Values
Collaboration is at the core of making music together. We emphasize respectful collaborative relationships between composers and performers.
Inclusivity is a key part of our mission. We aim to uplift artists of backgrounds historically underrepresented and excluded due to race, gender, or other factors. Musicians and audiences from all backgrounds are welcome.
Experimentation is inherent to our mission. In bringing new works to life, we take artistic risks. We also experiment with concert format through collaborations with poets, singers, and dancers, and through the combination of art with social advocacy.
Empathy is at the heart of our art. As a means of communication and expression, music magnifies and surpasses words to connect people to each other. By creating and enjoying music together, we can better understand each other.
Community is a fundamental priority. Building community among artists and audiences is a central aim of our musical activities and partnerships, both in Boston & globally.