NOW Ensemble marks its 20th anniversary with The Communities Project — a multi-year celebration of collaboration and connection. This initiative creates deep-rooted partnerships in places where ensemble members have strong personal ties. From New York City to Southern California, Western Massachusetts to Southern Vermont, NOW Ensemble's recent seasons have fostered commissions, concerts, and educational events that reflect the spirit of each local community. NOW Ensemble is thrilled to partner with enSRQ to bring this exciting project to Sarasota, where we’ll premiere two works by Florida-based composers Alex Burtzos and Mark Dancigers. The evening also features recent commissions, as well as music developed during the group’s recent residency at Yale University. Since its founding in 2004, NOW Ensemble has performed at venues including Lincoln Center, Zürich’s Apples and Olives Festival, Town Hall Seattle, Da Camera Houston, Carnegie Hall’s Neighborhood Concert Series, the Bang on a Can Marathon, and many more. The group’s performances have been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and WNYC, and their album Awake reached #1 on Amazon’s Classical Chamber Music chart. Over the past two decades, NOW Ensemble has collaborated with over 100 composers, including Judd Greenstein, Missy Mazzoli, Sean Friar, Nico Muhly, Sarah Kirkland Snider, and Ellis Ludwig-Leone.