About DUE EAST
DUE EAST brings together Erin Lesser and Greg Beyer to form an exciting and dynamic combination of flutes and percussion. Formed in 2001 at the Manhattan School of Music, DUE EAST continually strives to push the boundaries of and the audience expectations from a group made up of this unusual instrumental pairing.
Both accomplished and virtuosic soloists in their own right, Beyer and Lesser work closely with young composers to develop unique and engaging 21st century repertoire. Their programs are varied and highly engaging, ranging from extensive multi-media and technology-driven works to pieces that call for a variety of world music instruments in combination with folksong-like vocals and narratives. Beyer is an expert performer of the Afro-Brazilian berimbau, and incorporates this instrument into DUE EAST shows.
Here is what others are saying about DUE EAST:
"In DUE EAST, Erin Lesser and Greg Beyer have achieved a rare level of
synergy that makes for an amazingly expressive and delightful program.
Their wide-ranging repertoire is delivered with passion and vibrancy,
and audiences are witnesses to an astonishing display of virtuosity. DUE
EAST is a joy to behold."
- Rich Holly, Immediate Past President, Percusssive Arts Society
"Due East brings a deep musicianship and stunning virtuosity to all that they play. In a single evening they travel through the raw beauty of Brazilian folk music to the intricate scores of Xenakis with an unwavering commitment. Due East does not merely play together, they breathe as one, inspiring audiences with illuminating insight into new musical vistas."
-Seth Knopp, Artistic Director, Yellow Barn Music Festival
Pianist, Peabody Trio
Short Bio
DUE EAST has performed in Brazil, Europe, Canada and the USA at venues such as the Warsaw Crossdrumming Festival, the Banff Centre for the Arts, the Ke-nekt' Chamber Music Series at SUNY-Oswego, and the Percussive Arts Society International Conventions in Texas, Tennessee and Ohio. The duo has given recitals at universities across the United States and abroad, including the University of Campinas (Brazil), the State University of São Paulo (Brazil), Southern and Western Oregon Universities, Lewis and Clark College, Lawrence University, Northern Illinois University, Manhattan School of Music, Columbia University and Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. In conjunction with performance, Lesser and Beyer are frequently asked to present workshops for composers and instrumentalists on contemporary music and its various extended techniques for their respective instruments.
DUE EAST has also performed for Wet Ink Music and Composer’s Concordance in New York City, the New Music Festival at Western Illinois University, NYC PAS Day of Percussion, Music at Our Saviour’s Atonement (NYC), the American Music Center’s Annual Award Ceremony (NYC), New Rochelle Public Library (NY), and Fort Massey Music Series in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
NEWS
BIG CONGRATULATIONS to John Supko who has just been awarded the Leo Kaplan Award -- the
top award in the ASCAP / Morton Gould Young Composer competition, for his work, Littoral. John was chosen out of some 600 applicants this year. The piece was written for DUE EAST, and we premiered the work in March of 2007 and have been performing it regularly ever since. (If the audio on your computer is turned on, you are listening to Littoral right now.)
DUE EAST is already off to a running start in 2008 with recent concerts at Lawrence University and the Ke-nekt Chamber Music Series at SUNY-Oswego.
Our next big project is a collaborative concert with NYU's First Performance composer's collaborative on April 20th at NYC's Tenri Institute. A wonderful art gallery space for chamber music.
Later this year, we have the honor of working with six very talented, up-and-coming composers living and working here in the United States. We'll be taking this new program on the road around the country and will be recording all of these works for a release in 2009.
See our Calendar page for details!
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