Ashfall | Nebraska Chamber Players

Ashfall: music unearthed

Announcing...
Nebraska Chamber Players'
first commercial CD project!

We need your support!

What's even better than a world premiere? Having something permanent to show for it—like a CD recording! With that in mind, we have launched a fundraising project to do a studio recording of Ashfall, along with three other original works by Rusty Banks, all of which we have performed and two of which were written specifically for us.

This is an expensive endeavor, estimated at $11,000 for studio time, musicians and audio engineers. To raise the money we have initiated a fundraising project through Kickstarter, an online funding platform for creative projects. Kickstarter provides a means of collecting donations in any amount, from anyone interested in the project's concept. Pledges are submitted (via credit card or Paypal) through Amazon.com, and if the project reaches its goal within the designated time frame those pledges are redeemed. If the goal is not reached, donors are not charged and the organization receives nothing.

This is an all-or-nothing venture—we need to reach our goal or we get nothing. We are asking for your support, in whatever amount you can offer. This project is near and dear to us—not only is it our first commercial CD recording, it is unique in so many ways: we are recording music that was created specifically for us by a recognized composer with strong Nebraska ties; inspired by Nebraska itself, with its scenic landscape and rich history; and utilizing our entire roster of musicians. As an added bonus, there are thank-you gifts based on your level of giving, beginning at the $5 level!

Please check out our project: kickstarter.com/projects/1815751249/ashfall-music-unearthed. Watch the video—we think you'll like it, and we hope you'll be generous with your support! And please spread the word to your friends and fellow music-lovers!

Video credits: Our sincere thanks to Luis Peon-Casanova, filming and editing; Angel Peon-Casanova, graphics; and the University of Nebraska State Museum for permission to film in Morrill Hall. Thanks also to the audio crew at NET Radio for recording and engineering both the April 15 broadcast premiere and the CD. For a transcript of the audio portion of the Kickstarter video, click here.

Ashfall...the music

When we began thinking of ways to commemorate our 15th anniversary, we knew we wanted to do something very special, and what better way to celebrate our history as an innovative chamber ensemble than to create a new piece of chamber music! Composer Rusty Banks immediately came to mind—he has written music for us in the past and has even performed with us, and our collaborations have always been a good fit. When we approached Rusty about this new project, he said, "I know what it's going to be. I've had this piece in my head—I want to do a piece about the Ashfall Fossil Beds."

Ashfall Fossil Beds is a national monument and a Nebraska treasure, a paleontological dig site where entire skeletons have been found of creatures which existed 12 million years ago. Not only is it historically significant, it is located in an incredibly scenic area (near Royal, Nebraska), surrounded by rolling hills and lush grasslands. A Nebraska resident for many years, Rusty spent a lot of time fishing in that area and was inspired by its beauty and its enormous history.

Ashfall is a large-scale chamber work, using a string quartet and a woodwind quintet plus double bass, harp, marimba and piano. All of the Nebraska Chamber Players will be involved (bassoonist Jeff Campbell is driving down from Duluth, Minnesota, for the premiere performance!), plus guest performers Bobby Jenkins on oboe and Summer Bracken on violin. This in itself is momentous—you've never seen so many of us on stage all at once! The Lincoln premiere of Ashfall will take place Friday, April 13, at 8:00 pm, and the worldwide broadcast premiere (via a special edition of NET Radio's Nebraska Concerts) will be Sunday, April 15 at 1:30 pm.

Schedule of premiere week events

In partnership with

Radio