Spitting Image Collective is a group of Minnesota composers that came together in 2013 to build a strong community of composers, performers and listeners in the Twin Cities metro area. Since then, the collective has commissioned numerous new works from local Minnesota composers and presented them in concerts throughout the Twin Cities featuring many of the area’s most talented new music performers. Dedicated to community outreach and education, Spitting Image’s educational programs introduce learners of all ages to new music through listening, performing, and composing, including residencies at the University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis Public Schools, and workshops for the public. In addition, Spitting Image hosts community social events to encourage the formation of professional relationships among composers, and opportunities for composers to receive artistic feedback from peers. 

Spitting Image Collective members are: Katherine Bergman, Joshua Clausen, and Daniel Nass.

Lauded for providing “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for adventurous concertgoers,” Zeitgeist is a new music chamber ensemble comprised of two percussion, piano and woodwinds. One of the longest established new music groups in the country, Zeitgeist commissions and presents a wide variety of new music for audiences in the Twin Cities and on tour. Always eager to explore new artistic frontiers, Zeitgeist collaborates with poets, choreographers, directors, visual artists and sound artists of all types to create imaginative new work that challenges the boundaries of traditional chamber music. The members of Zeitgeist are: Heather Barringer, percussion; Patti Cudd, percussion; Pat O’Keefe, woodwinds; and Nicola Melville piano. Information about the ensemble and its activities can be found at www.zeitgeistnewmusic.org.

(he / him / his)

composer, improviser, multimedia artist, educator

J. Anthony Allen has worn the hats of composer, producer, songwriter, engineer, sound designer, DJ, remix artist, multi-media artist, performer, inventor, and entrepreneur. Allen is a versatile creator whose diverse project experience ranges from works written for the Minnesota Orchestra to pieces developed for film, TV, and radio. An innovator in the field of electronic performance, Allen performs on a set of “glove” controllers, which he has designed, built, and programmed by himself. When he’s not working as a solo artist, Allen is a serial collaborator. His primary collaborative vehicle is the group Ballet Mech, for which Allen is one of three producers.

In 2014, Allen was a semi-finalist for the Grammy Foundation’s Music Educator of the Year. J. Anthony Allen teaches at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN., and is an Ableton Live Certified Instructor. He has a PhD in music composition, 2 Master’s degrees in music composition and electronic music, and a bachelors degree in guitar performance. Through his academic travels, Dr. Allen has received numerous awards along the way.


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