Roomful of Teeth
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| Roomful of Teeth | |
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| Name | Roomful of Teeth |
| Origin | New York City |
| Genres | Contemporary classical, vocal ensemble, choral music |
| Years active | 2009–2023 |
| Labels | Deutsche Grammophon, New Amsterdam Records |
| Associated acts | Bang on a Can, International Contemporary Ensemble, Kronos Quartet |
Roomful of Teeth Roomful of Teeth is an American vocal ensemble founded in New York City that specialized in contemporary choral performance, extended vocal techniques, and cross-cultural vocal traditions. The group brought together performers, composers, and vocal coaches to explore repertoire spanning contemporary composition, ethnomusicology, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Roomful of Teeth combined influences from Western art music, traditional singing practices, and experimental music to commission new works and record award-winning albums.
History
Roomful of Teeth was co-founded by conductor and producer Brad Wells and singer-composer Brad Wells (note: two different individuals with shared name in founding roles) in 2009 as a project rooted in the New York contemporary music scene alongside institutions such as Bang on a Can, New Amsterdam Records, Mannes School of Music, Juilliard School, and Yale School of Music. Early collaborations involved composers affiliated with Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival, performers connected to International Contemporary Ensemble, and scholars from Brown University, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge who advised on vocal traditions. The ensemble's trajectory included residencies at venues and organizations like Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood Music Center, Miller Theatre, and Schloss Elmau and performances at festivals including Aldeburgh Festival, Lucerne Festival, Big Ears Festival, and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Over time Roomful of Teeth established relationships with ensembles and artists such as Kronos Quartet, Bang on a Can All-Stars, Ying Quartet, and composers from the International Rostrum of Composers. The group announced an organizational pause in 2023 to reflect on institutional structures and future directions amid debates taking place across arts organizations such as Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic about leadership and governance.
Artistic Approach and Vocal Techniques
Roomful of Teeth's artistic approach emphasized extended vocal techniques and study of global singing traditions, incorporating methods from Tuvan throat singing exponents, Inuit throat singers, and pedagogues associated with Meredith Monk, Joan La Barbara, Georgian polyphony specialists, and institutions like the New England Conservatory and Royal College of Music. Singers trained in overtone singing related to practitioners from Tuva, studied yodeling techniques linked to Alpine traditions prevalent in Wales and Switzerland, and experimented with guttural and non-Western timbres informed by collaborations with teachers connected to Hindustani classical music and Tibetan chant lineages. The ensemble worked with vocal coaches and ethnomusicologists who had affiliations with Smithsonian Folkways, The Ethnomusicology Archive at UCLA, Berkeley's Department of Ethnomusicology, and scholars publishing with Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. This methodology enabled performances that juxtaposed traditional Western choral practices associated with Choir of King's College, Cambridge and St. Thomas Church, New York with vocal textures derived from world traditions.
Repertoire and Commissions
Roomful of Teeth commissioned and premiered works by contemporary composers including Caroline Shaw, David Lang, Timo Andres, Missy Mazzoli, John Luther Adams, Clarice Assad, Gabriella Smith, Matt Barber, and Andy Akiho. The ensemble's repertoire ranged from miniature cycles to large-scale collaborative pieces and included works premiered at organizations such as The Kitchen, Lincoln Center, Miller Theatre, and festivals like Witten and Gaudeamus Muziekweek. They performed compositions that integrated electronics and acoustic textures by composers with ties to IRCAM, MIDI Lab at Columbia, and Berklee College of Music, and commissioned scores for film projects associated with festivals like Sundance Film Festival and theatrical collaborations with companies such as New York Theatre Workshop.
Recordings and Releases
Roomful of Teeth released recordings on major and independent labels, most notably an eponymous album on Deutsche Grammophon that featured works by Caroline Shaw, David Lang, and Tyshawn Sorey. The ensemble's discography included releases on New Amsterdam Records and collaborations appearing on compilations from Nonesuch Records and anthology projects curated by Bang on a Can. Their recordings received attention in publications connected to Gramophone Magazine, The New Yorker, BBC Radio 3, and NPR Music, and were distributed internationally through partnerships with distributors serving Universal Music Group and classical retailers associated with Presto Classical.
Collaborations and Performances
Roomful of Teeth collaborated with a wide array of artists, ensembles, and institutions including Kronos Quartet, Bang on a Can All-Stars, New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall Contemporary American Music Series, and soloists associated with Metropolitan Opera. The ensemble participated in interdisciplinary projects with choreographers from Martha Graham Dance Company, directors from Lincoln Center Theater, and filmmakers who premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. They toured extensively across North America, Europe, and Asia with engagements at Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, and cultural centers like Maison de la Radio and Konzerthaus Berlin.
Awards and Recognition
Roomful of Teeth received multiple honors, including the Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance, nominations from Pulitzer Prize-adjacent juries for works by associated composers, and grants from institutions such as the National Endowment for the Arts, MacArthur Foundation, and Foundation for Contemporary Arts. The ensemble's achievements were noted by awards panels connected to American Academy of Arts and Letters, ASCAP Foundation, and festivals awarding commissions like Fromm Music Foundation and Koussevitzky Music Foundation.
Membership and Organization Structure
Membership comprised a rotating roster of vocalists with backgrounds at conservatories including Juilliard School, Yale School of Music, New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music, and Eastman School of Music. The group's organizational model combined artistic leadership, administrative staff, and advisory input from composers and ethnomusicologists affiliated with Smithsonian Institution, Columbia University, Brown University, and Harvard University. Roomful of Teeth engaged project-based collaborations with guest artists and maintained partnerships with presenters and funders such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, New York State Council on the Arts, and philanthropic entities like Rockefeller Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Category:Contemporary vocal ensembles