The Washington Square Ensemble
Hailed for its "lively, polished performance" (the New York Times), and acclaimed as "among the world's most outstanding new music ensembles" (Fanfare), The Washington Square Ensemble is comprised of some of New York's finest musicians. The core members of the ensemble are flutists Jayn Rosenfeld and Patricia Spencer; oboist Jackie Leclair; clarinetist Alan Kay and Jean Kopperud; percussionists Tom Kolor, Matthew Gold, and Stephen Paysen; pianist Stephen Gosling; violinist Curtis Macomber; violist Lois Martin; cellist Christopher Finckel; bassist Kurt Murocki; and conductors Louis Karchin and Paul Hostetter. The ensemble maintains a flexibility of instrumentation that sets it apart from other contemporary music groups in New York.

History
Having inaugurated its 32nd season this past October, the Washington Square Contemporary Music Society (WSCMS) seeks to further the cause of new music by presenting the most recent works of our time in exemplary performances. The Society selects composers based on originality and expertise, and then works closely with them in preparing their music for public presentation. The Society also presents acknowledged masterworks of the 20th or 21st century, and occasionally older works of special interest. Our concerts take place at New York City's premier venue for chamber music, Merkin Hall, at the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center on West 67th Street in New York City.

Since 1976, the Society has worked to attract, educate and invigorate audiences for American contemporary music. From its inception, WSCMS has offered nearly 500 performances of carefully selected and rehearsed compositions by both established and upcoming composers; of these, roughly 200 have been World or New York premieres. Established composers whose works have been presented include Shulamit Ran, Morton Feldman, John Adams, Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Elliott Carter, Frank Zappa, Phillip Glass, Joan Tower, John Zorn, George Walker, and Charles Wuorinen, among hundreds more.

WSCMS presents three to four concerts every year in Manhattan, offering a diversity of event themes: honoring prominent figures in composition such as Milton Babbitt (A Salute to Milton Babbitt at 90, April 3rd, 2006); showcasing specific types of instruments or ensembles (such as A Celebration of the Voice, in collaboration with the Brooklyn Conservatory New Music Collective, March 10, 2008 or Musical Mobile: Flutes and Strings, December 1, 2008); featuring prominent guest artists (such as the Pro Arte String Quartet, December 3, 2002) or young emerging ensembles like the Avalon Quartet (December 1, 2008).

The Society was founded in 1976 by composer Brian Fennelly, then a professor in the Music Department of New York University's Faculty of Arts and Science, Louis Karchin, joined the directorship in 1980. Both composers had already demonstrated their leadership in contemporary music; prior to joining WSCMS, Mr. Karchin co-founded the Harvard Group for New Music and the Chamber Players of the League/ISCM, both of which continue to thrive to this day.

WSCMS's concert series has attracted a large, loyal following, and has become regularly reviewed by the city's major newspapers and magazines. Critics from the New York Times, New York Newsday, the Village Voice and others have heralded its concerts, some as "best of season" events.