Roomful of Teeth

Roomful of Teeth
OriginWilliamstown, Massachusetts, US
Genres
Years active2009–present
Members
Websiteroomfulofteeth.org

Roomful of Teeth is an American vocal ensemble founded in 2009 by Brad Wells. Its stated mission is to "mine the expressive potential of the human voice".[1][2]

According to co-artistic director Cameron Beauchamp, Roomful of Teeth was inspired by the contemporary ensembles Sō Percussion, Alarm Will Sound, and Bang on a Can; Wells and Beauchamp desired a vocal counterpart to these ensembles.[3]

The ensemble gathers annually at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA), where they have studied Tuvan throat singing, yodeling, belting, Inuit throat singing, Korean p'ansori, Georgian singing, Sardinian cantu a tenore, Hindustani music, and Persian classical singing, with some of the world's top performers and teachers of the styles.[4] Commissioned composers include Elena Ruehr, Christine Southworth & Evan Ziporyn, Rinde Eckert, Judd Greenstein, Caleb Burhans, Merrill Garbus, William Brittelle, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Missy Mazzoli, Sam Amidon, Michael Harrison, Ted Hearne, and Julia Wolfe.[5] In August 2014, Roomful of Teeth was spotlighted at the International Federation for Choral Music symposium in Seoul, Korea (one of only three American vocal ensembles invited).[6]

  1. ^ Roomful of Teeth performances wrap up Princeton Symphony Orchestra's Chamber series, The Times of Trenton, Ross Amico, March 7, 2014.
  2. ^ Heck, Matthew (March 20, 2015). "Cheeky Teeth at Stave Sessions". The Boston Music Intelligencer. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  3. ^ Cypess, Rebecca; Gomez, Estelí; Lansang, Rachael, eds. (2023). Historical performance and new music: aesthetics and practices. Studies in contemporary music and culture (1. ed.). Abingdon, Oxon ; New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-003-30022-9.
  4. ^ Schweitzer, Vivien (October 19, 2015). "Review: Roomful of Teeth, Making Nerdiness Cool". New York Times. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  5. ^ "The Pulitzer Prizes – Citation".
  6. ^ MIT Music and Theater Arts (January 20, 2015). "Roomful of Teeth". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved June 16, 2024.