SEASON 2022/23 ROSTER

June 2022 - CreArtBox collaborated again with the Queens Public Library to present its live podcast. Also, CreArtBox was invited to perform at the Hunters Point Library as part as the Queens Rising, a multi-disciplinary arts & culture celebration, designed to highlight our borough’s cultural & creative diversity. Taking place throughout June 2022.

May 2022 - The Chutzpah! Kibbitz Conversation Series peeks behind the velvet drapes of the classical concert hall with a program of exquisite works by composers Ernest Bloch and Paul Schoenfield. Then, join host Iris Bahr and Chutzpah! Artistic Managing Director Jessica Gutteridge for an intimate conversation with pianist Josefina Urraca and flutist Guillermo Laporta about life, love, music, and what conductors are really like.

May 2022 - CreArtBox was invited to perform at the Chaminade Music Club of Yonkers is celebrating its 126th Anniversary.

May 2022 - CreArtBox started a new partnership with the Queens Public Library. In partnership with the Queens Public Library, CreArtBox presented a live podcast music series that utilizes classical music to trigger a conversation about art, culture, society, and more. Designed as a hybrid talk show / chamber music concert and published in podcast format (with a live audience), this program delves into the intriguing minds of musicians, serving as a gateway for new audiences to enter the wild and profound world of classical music. Each episode centers around a different theme (a period of time, a specific composer, a particular piece, etc). Guest artists participate in a lively discussion moderated by a host, and with a grand piano on stage, musical examples and full pieces are performed.

April 2022 - CreArtBox presented the CreArtMusic Festival Spring Edition. In this edition, the lineup of composers was: Timo Andres, Haydn, Schubert, Shostakovich, Annamaria Kowalsky, Nikolayeva, Schumann, Mozart, Brian Wysocki, Joaquin Turinat, Gustav Mahler and Cullyn Murphy. Highlights of the program included Piano Trio by Timo Andres; the Piano Quartet by Gustav Mahler; the Surprise Symphony by Haydn, Joaquin Turina's piano quartet and Shostakovich's trio op.8. CreArtBox developed new collaboration with visual artists Tao Ho and Sarah K. Williams.

April 2022 - CreArtBox was invited to the Culture Lab Live Stream Series to present music by Bach, Nikolayeva and Schumann.

March 2022 - CreArtBox announced the winners of its "Call for submissions of classical contemporary music program". This call encouraged composers to submit their work in order to nourish and diversify the upcoming season of the organization. CreArtBox provides the composers with a platform for collaborating, recording, and presenting their work to the public. CreArtBox received over 500 applications for this program. The selected composers were: Annamaria Kowalsky, Brian Wysocki and Cullyn Murphy.

March 2022 - CreArtBox performed in the Anna Maria Kellen Concert Hall as part of the Live SOUNDS music Series.

January 2022 - CreArtBox and its new organization based in Spain (The Association for the Arts Development in Rural Areas of Spain) were awarded with the support from the government of Asturias.

December 2021 - CreArtBox receives the NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts) Support for Organizations Grant.

December 2021 - CreArtBox presented the CreArtMusic Festival Winter Edition. In this edition, the lineup of composers was: Timo Andres, Anna Clyne, Marius Diaz de Leon, John Harbison, Ernest Bloch, Toru Takemitsu, Ludwig van Beethoven, Steve Reich, Leoš Janáček, Arvo Pärt, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, Georg Philipp Telemann, Andre Jolivet, Gustav Holst and Manuel de Falla. Highlights of the program included Piano Trio by Timo Andres; the Piano Quartet by Gustav Mahler; the sonata for flute, viola, and harp by Claude Debussy; Piano Phase by Steve Reich; The Planets by Gustav Holst; and the First String Quartet by Leoš Janáček. On Saturday and Sunday mornings the festival presented the program “Breakfast with the artists” where composers, musicians, and visual artists gathered. With this idea, CreArtBox wanted to approach the local community in a more direct way than in regular performances.

September 2021 - CreArtBox received a City Artist Corp grant for its new project Queens Preludes and Lighting the dark.

August 2021 - CreArtBox established a new organization in Spain, The Association for the Arts Development in Rural Areas of Spain. Its inaugural project was the Leiguarda Music Festival sponsored by the Belmonte de Miranda City Council and Caja Rural with artist Cellist Beatriz Blanco, American baritone Nathaniel Sullivan, pianist Josefina Urraca, the flutist Guillermo Laporta, composer Marcos Fernández and host Laude Martinez This Festival received recognition from the National and Regional Television in Spain, Telecinco, Asturias Public Television, and was featured in TV programs such as Asturias Semanal and De Romandela.

July 2021 - The Amphion Foundation and Queens Council on the Arts reiterated their monetary support to CreArtBox.

May 2021 - CreArtBox launched an interactive "Web Experience Music Festival" including classical and contemporary repertoire for solo flute, piano, violin and cello, and baritone and piano, including Flashes and illuminations by John Harbison, Luciform by Mario Diaz de Leon, Mozart’s Sonata KV 283, Violin Chaconne and Doch weichet, ihr tollen” from BWV 8 by Bach, and Britten’s 3rd suite for cello. On this project, CreArtBox commissioned 5 visual art pieces to Robert Sirvent, Hsiao-Chu Hsia, Sara C. Sun, Sarah K. Williams, and Marieken Cochius.

April 2020 - During COVID 19 CreArtBox launched a series of online concerts, with a selection of archive performances, including unseen footage, behind the scenes, and interviews.

February 2020 - A second production of the opera/ballet “Two Road” was presented by the Tank Theater. Two Roads materialize the inner thoughts of Elle, scrutinizing the choices that she made throughout her life in an apocryphal attempt to write a letter to a future self, a reincarnation or a future generation. Elle’s character is constructed overlapping a conglomeration of performers that fluctuate in time & space. Among the artists involved were: dancers Mary Taylor Hennings and Can Wang, soprano Ariadne Greif, baritone Nathaniel Sullivan, actress Julie Berndt, and pianist Josefina Urraca.

December 2019 - CreArtBox presents AWAVE at the Ryogoku Concert Hall in Japan. This is the 2nd collaboration with the costume and set designer Mizuko Kaji, (who previously worked at Visuality in 2016). AWAVE was a multimedia concert experience for flute, piano, video, and electronics.

November 2019 - As part of the CreArt Music Series, CreArtBox collaborated with the Arte Quartet to present Brandenburg's 5th Concerto, a new premier with music by Evan O. Adams, and other compositions by Britten and Philip Lasser.

November 2019 - Bay Ridge Concert Series presented AWAVE, a new creation by Guillermo Laporta and CreArtBox. This was the New York CD presentation.

October 2019 - CreArtBox and Parhelion Trio joined forces to kick off their 2019/20 concert series in an evening inspired by Claude Debussy’s Songs of Bilitis.

September 2019 - CreArtBox’s members Josefina Urraca and Guillermo Laporta were selected to be artists in Residence at the Culture Lab.

August 2019 - After receiving support by the Queens Council on the Arts, CreArtBox presented the 2nd edition of the CreArt Music Festival at the Plaxall gallery. This new edition of the Festival counted also with the support of the Spanish Embassy, Steinway & Sons, LIC-Artists, and Culture LAB.

Festival partnerships include: Queens Theater, Flushing Town Hall, and Welcome Home Real Estate.

CreArtBox presented one of the most emotionally weighted pieces of music ever written, Quartet for the End of Time by Olivier Messiaen, alongside Mandalas in the Rubble by Dai Wei. The ensemble also produced “Two Road”, a chamber opera for mezzo-soprano, physical actor, choir & dance ensemble, electronic, piano, percussion and movable set. Although framed as an opera due to his musical nature, this performance embraces the set, the choreography, and the light and sound design, as part of the dramaturgy elements that are written in the “libretto” following a parallel creative process.

July 2019 - CreArtBox was selected to be an resident ensemble at the Avaloch Farm.

March 2019 - CreArtBox performed at the Renee Weiller Concert Hall as part of the CreArt Music Series, music by Pulitzer Award winner, Ned Rorem, Mendelssohn, and Haydn.

In this month, CreArtBox’s musicians recorded their 2nd album, AWAVE, at the Oktaven audio Studio.

January 2019 - CreArt Music Series continued at the Renee Weiller Concert Hall. The music Series is supported by the Amphion Foundation and Alice M. Ditson Fund.

During this edition of the Music Series, CreArtBox presented Awave, a music creation of Guillermo Laprota.

During this month, CreArtBox attended the CMA’s National Conference. The CMA’s National Conference is an annual gathering providing ensemble music professionals the opportunity to hear inspiring speakers, engage with industry leaders, network with peers, and more.

December 2018 - CreArtBox performed music by Greg Karnilaw at the Anthology Film Archive and music for flute and piano at the Chaminade Music Club.

August 2018 - 1st edition of the CreArt Music Festival at the Plaxall Gallery. This Festival received accolades from different newspaper such as:

“CreArt Festival offers unique take on classical music”
Queens Ledger

“If you need a break from your same old Spotify playlist, and crave your culture fix, mark your calendars and reserve your tickets for the CreArt Music Festival, where you’re bound to discover something unique and unexpected”
QGuide

CreArtBox received support from the Queens Council on the Arts.

June 2018 - CreArtBox presented their educational program, CreArt ED, at the Plaxall Gallery. CreArtED is a modern music education program created to spread the love and values of music through engaging and collaborative programs in the 5 boroughs of New York.

May 2018 - CreArtBox performed music by composers Massenet, Chaminade, Faure, Franck, Debussy, Satie, Gounodat the Chaminade Club in Yonkers. This month, CreArtBox received the Amphion Foundation grant for the development of the CreArt Music Series.

April 2018 - CreArtBox was invited to perform at the Arts Month at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. The New York Society for Ethical Culture is a humanist community dedicated to ethical relationships, social justice, and environmental stewardship for over 142 years.

March 2018 - While a full orchestra usually performs Mahler’s most popular symphony, (4th) Erwin Stein helped bring it to life for chamber orchestra in a unique arrangement. CreArtBox collaborated with Le Train Bleu, and conductor Ransom Wilson to perform this masterpiece.

January 2018 - CreArt Music Series continued with new collaborations with Beethoven's scholar and biographer, Lewis Lockwood, for the presentation of the Kakadu variations for piano trio by Beethoven. CreArtBox continued its mission working with living composers presenting a new piece written by the American Composer, Joshua Penman, resident composer of the ensemble.

November 2017 - CreArtBox started a new collaboration with Bay Ridge Concert Series. CreArtBox’s directors presented their first album, duoh.

Bay Ridge Concert Series is a brand new concert series taking place in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. These series enrich and celebrate the Bay Ridge Community by sponsoring an eclectic lineup of musicians and musical groups from jazz, classical, Latin, and folk genres.

October 2017 - New edition of the CreArt Music Series with the collaboration of bandoneonist JP Jofre, who has been repeatedly highlighted by the New York Times and praised as one of today’s leading artists by Great Performers at Lincoln Center.
CreArtBox’s musicians were violinist Brigid Coleridge, cellist Julia Yang, flutist Guillermo Laporta, and pianist Josefina Urraca, piano.

May 2017 - The CreArt Music Series continued at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. This music Series is awarded by the Amphion Foundation. CreArtBox performed music by David Lang, Meredith Monk, Anna Clyne (New York premiere of Just As They Are), Timo Andres, Joshua Penman (World premiere of Dawnlight), Dvorak, and Telemann.

Musicians included violinist Johnna Wu, flutist Guillermo Laporta, clarinetist Nick Gallas, cellist Julia Yang, and pianist Josefina Urraca, piano.

December 2016 - CreArtBox received the Queens Council on the Arts Grants to present Visuality at the Queens Council on the Arts. Visuality is a music and theater production which develops a narrative inspired by studies by Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers, where a psychoanalyst explores the deepest thoughts of his mind through music, poetry, and observation.

Artists included: clarinetist Jonathan Cohen, flutist Guillermo Laporta, violinist Clara Vazquez, cellist Mindy Asher, percussionist Robby Bowen, pianist Josefina Urraca, dancer and choreographer Marissa Maislen, actor Jacopo Rampini, costume designer Mizuko Kaji, and light designer Jennifer Fok.

This same month CreArtBox’s musicians Josefina Urraca and Guillermo Laporta presented their debut album with music from the end of the XIX century and beginning of the XX at the Diaz Caneja Foundation in Spain.

November 2016 - CreArtBox presented the 2nd concert of the 1st edition of the CreArt Music Series with guest artists Todd Reynolds (founder of the Ethel String Quartet) and Luke DuBois. On these performances, audiences of all ages gathered together to experience a unique event where classical music meets visual art creating an exceptional experience.

September 2016 - CreArtBox presented the first edition of the CreArt Music Series with three guest composers: Sebastian Currier, Judd Greenstein, and Joshua Penman. CreArtBox performed their music among Gaubert and Beethoven' compositions. Joshua Penman was the 2nd resident composer of the ensemble. The CreArt Music Series was presented at the Mary Flager Concert Hall.

January 2016 - CreArtBox performed at Le Poisson Rouge as the winners of the SVA Chamber Music Competition (the country’s only major chamber music competition in which the judging criteria include both artistic excellence and innovative event design). This performance was sponsored by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with Chamber Music America.

October 2015 - CreArtBox’s musicians Josefina Urraca and Guillermo Laporta had their Steinway Concert Hall debut performing music by Claude Debussy and Ottorino Respighi. The duo reimagines the music for violin and piano of Claude Debussy and Ottorino Respighi, expanding it into the repertoire of the modern flute.

May 2015 - CreArtBox recorded the soundtrack for the short film “A is for Aye Aye”. A young girl named Iris is transformed by her encounter with an engraving from a nineteenth-century book. Tired of the offerings of the virtual world, nine-year-old Iris wanders down Fifth Avenue and into the New York Public Library’s Picture Collection. Music was written by Greg Karnilaw.

March 2015 - New productions of the Theatrical version of Visuality by CreArtBox at theaters in NYC such as The Tank Theater and the Flamboyan Theater. Both theaters co-produced Visuality.

The ensemble performed music by Sebastian Currier, Debussy, Jacob TV, Paul Moravec, Brahms, and Marcos Fernandez.

November 2014 - CreArtBox’s Visuality evolved into a new scripted production, a full-scale music and theater production which develops a narrative inspired by studies by Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers where a psychoanalyst, explores the deepest thoughts of his mind through music, poetry, and observation. Written by Guillermo Laporta and Jacopo Rampini and choreographed by Marissa Maislen, this production fuses the music of Sebastian Currier, Joshua Penman, Debussy, Paul Moravec, Jacob TV, Joan Tower, Marcos Fernandez, and Frederic Rzewski.

November 2014 - Supported by the Spanish Embassy-Cultural affairs, CreArtBox presented an evolved version of Visuality at the Artisphere Theater, Arlington (Virginia), incorporating theatrical light design by Jennifer Fok, and stage and projection design by Guillermo Laporta.

This new theatrical version of VIsuality, explored the visual aspects of music with a narrative voice guiding the audience through an almost meditative journey. Artists included flutist Guillermo Laporta, clarinetist Anton Rist, violinist Keir Gogwilt, cellist Miho Zaitsu, pianist Josefina Urraca, dancer Morgelyn Tenbeth-ward, dancer and actor Rick Cekovsky.

February to November 2014 - CreArtBox initiated its Visuality series, a multimedia concert that explores the visual aspects of music. Each piece explores how light and sound can intersect in their purest form. Visuality was considered an ongoing series that explored the concert of “Visual Concert”.

The first productions took place at the Mary Flager Cary Hall, Spectrum and the Cervantes Institute, as part of the second edition of the Play Loud Festival. CreArtBox’s members included soprano Hannah DeBlock, actor Rick Cekovsky, cellist Yves Dharamraj, violinist Doori Na, dancer Morgelyn Tenbeth-ward, flutist Guillermo Laporta, pianist Josefina Urraca, bandoneonist JP Jofre, and Anton Rist ( Metropolitan orchestra clarinet soloist).

November 2013 - CreArtBox premiered its production Paris a.m. at the Gershwin Hotel Music Series, presented by Neke Carson, who appeared in Warhol's films and paintings of Andy's portrait at the Factory. This performance explored how the city of Paris and its artists inspired the age of Impressionism. The show interweaved visual projections and French poetry within the chamber music of Debussy, Roussel, and Pierne. This was the first collaboration with Italian actor Jacopo Rampini, who appeared in later productions with the group.

Musicians from CreArtBox included: harpist Jane Yoon, cellist Yves Dharamraj, violist Nathan Schram, Keir GoGwilt, and flutist Guillermo Laporta.

November 2013 - CreArtBox was featured at the first edition of the Play Loud Festival presented by AENY - Spanish Artists in New York in collaboration with the Cervantes Institute.

This inaugural edition was founded by Ignacio Garcia Bustelo and directed by Guillermo Laporta, and set to launch at the Cervantes Institute headquarters in New York City from December 9th to December 11th. The Festival comprises an eclectic program with three innovative ensembles exploring the intersections between music and story in their own particular way. PLAY LOUD! Was a festival created with the idea of merging the energy and vibe of the city of New York with the talent of musicians from Spain in collaboration with artists from other cultures and nationalities.

August 2013 - CreArtbox made its New York City debut (as Cre.Art Project),as an interdisciplinary music group, at the National Opera America Center the summer of 2013. The group was formed by bandoneonist JP Jofre, violist Nathan Schram, cellist Yves Daramraj, pianist Josefina Urraca, flutist Guillermo Laporta, dancers Eve Chan and Yung-Li Chen, and visual artists Julia Griffin and Samuel Krichmar.

The program included Marcos Fernandez (1st resident composer) - Eclipse and Northumbrian, Debussy - Piano trio in g minor, JP Jofre - Como el Agua & Universe, George Crumb - Vox Balaenae and Jacob TV - Jesus is coming.

With this project the group explored the limits of chamber music’s scenic interpretation and the concert was featured in Time Out:

“A new ensemble devoted to multidisciplinary events makes its debut with a concert designed by flutist Guillermo Laporta, who gathers a handful of very sharp freelance musicians—including cellist Yves Dharamraj and bandoneon virtuoso J.P. Jofre—as well as choreographers and visual artists. The group's maiden voyage is set to works by Mussorgsky, Duruflé, Jofre, George Crumb, Jacob ter Veldhuis and Marcos Fernández.”