ModernWorks consists of a core of some of New York City’s most prominent performers of new music. The ensemble is a member of The New York Consortium for New Music and has appeared in New York on Sonic Boom 6, 8, 9, the festival’s 10th anniversary marathon at The Knitting Factory, and Sonic Boom 11.

Called a “cello innovator” by Time Out New York, Madeleine Shapiro is a recognized figure in the field of contemporary music. She directs ModernWorks and performs as a solo recitalist throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America. Her work has been called “focused and cohesive” (Time Out New York), “powerful and commandingly delivered” (The Strad) and “played with great skill and sensitivity” (The Washington Post). ModernWorks’ most recent CD was chosen by The New York Times as one of the best CDs of 2009. Shapiro’s awards include three Encore Awards from the American Composers Forum, and a Barlow Award; first prize in Adventurous Programming awarded by ASCAP-Chamber Music America. She is a three time Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome.

Regarded as the world’s greatest accordionist by National Public Radio, Bill Schimmel has performed with virtually every major symphony orchestra in America (and the Kirov), including a longstanding relationship with the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as virtually every chamber music group in New York, including Ensemble Sospeso and the Odeon Jazz Ensemble. Pop star colleagues range from Sting to Tom Waits, who proclaimed, “Bill Schimmel doesn’t play the accordion, he is the accordion.” He is founder of the Tango Project, which, in addition to his hit recordings with them, has appeared with Al Pacino in the film: Scent of a Woman. The Tango Project also won the Stereo Review Album of the Year Award, received a Grammy nomination and rose to number one on the Billboard classical charts. Schimmel can be heard in the films True Lies, Kun Dun and many others, including those for which he both scored and performed, and a series of films for the Nature Conservancy.

Airi Yoshioka has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Canada as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. She is the founding member of Damocles Trio and Modigliani Quartet and has performed and recorded with the members of Emerson, Brentano and Arditti Quartets. An enthusiastic performer of new music, she is a principal member of Continuum, ModernWorks, Son Sonora, Azure, Ensemble Pi and RUCKUS ensembles. She has recorded for New World, Claves, Mode, Albany and Pony Canyon records. Yoshioka is an associate profess of Music at UMBC.

$7 general admission, $3 seniors, free for students, free with a UMBC ID. To order tickets in advance with a credit card, purchase online through MissionTix.