Mark Clifford will be sharing some words about how he personally addresses the unique challenges of composing for various types of ensembles. He'll discuss reconciling personal composition style and ensemble aesthetics; how to give performers room to be the brilliant musicians and improvisers that they are, when also notating parts.

For the past four years, Mark Clifford and Crystal Pascucci have been playing in chamber music ensembles, and more recently, as a duo. They have learned to find a balance of mutual love of composition, song, and free improvisation. As a duo, they play a web of music for cello and vibraphone that oscillates between formally composed music and free-play seamlessly.  They have also learned to work together well as players in such a way that lets both voices as improvisors and composers come through.