Biography
Xtet functions as a Los Angeles-based contemporary ensemble defined by its deliberate avoidance of any fixed specialization, which leaves both its repertoire and personnel in a perpetual state of flux. Eleven musicians constitute the ensemble’s core as of 1998, yet the roster assembled for any individual program may expand or contract. Programs themselves move freely between classical repertoire and works rooted in jazz idioms.
The group originated in 1986 from conversations between bassoonist John Steinmetz and clarinetist David Ocker, who later departed; its debut concert presented Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. In the decades since, Xtet has explored an extensive range of material, among which are numerous scores written expressly for the ensemble. To date its only recording credit remains the album Gerald McBoing Boing & Other Stories.
The group originated in 1986 from conversations between bassoonist John Steinmetz and clarinetist David Ocker, who later departed; its debut concert presented Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire. In the decades since, Xtet has explored an extensive range of material, among which are numerous scores written expressly for the ensemble. To date its only recording credit remains the album Gerald McBoing Boing & Other Stories.
Albums
