WHAT IS ART SONG?

A lot of people say, “It’s a lot like opera but…” My ninth-grade English teacher would kill me if I used that phrase to define something. So instead, we at Art Song Colorado came up with a fun mathematical formula to show you what it IS rather than what it isn’t:

Words + Music
Friends

Words — Singers are the only musical instrument that can produce words. The words could be a poem, a letter or even just an “aah” sound. It is that flexibility that brings uniqueness to art song.

Add Music — Many new fans might think that Mozart or Beethoven or Schubert were the only people to set poems to music as art songs. What may surprise you is that, even today, new composers like Julianna Hall, Andre Myers and more continue to compose songs in this classic genre. For our curated performances we sometimes add spirituals, novelty songs, pop and, yes, even opera.

Divide it by Friends — Art Songs spring from the time when people would meet together in a drawing room and perform for one another. It was a chance for people and artists to interact. Art Song Colorado incorporates storytelling and visual art to make a cohesive experience for new and long-time “Art Song Friends.” We look forward to meeting you!

Founded in 2015 as “Denver Art Song Project,” Art Song Colorado introduces new audiences to the joy of classical song. Eapen Leubner founded the group and created “A Single Step… Songs of Beethoven and Donaudy” with Mallory Bernstein and Michael Bevers. The album led to early performances in Denver, the group expanded to perform across the Front Range. Through performance and experimentation, the group polished their concept of innovative performances by Colorado artists include visual art, super-titles and storytelling.

Performances center on a theme and take a brand-new audience member from learning what an art song is to experience the breadth and depth of this living genre. Themed concerts include “Fantastic Art Songs and Where to Find Them” and “Outsiders- Song Cycles from the Fringe.” In 2018, Stephanie Ann Ball was their first guest curator and her production of “The Pillars of African-American Art Song” premiered at the Blair-Caldwell African-American Research Library in Five Points. The group brought in their first national star when Robert Osborne (Tanglewood Festival, Symphony Space NYC) recreated his internationally performed pastiche, “Don Quixote in Music” in Denver for the first time. This production was a collaboration with the Denver Early Music Consort and the Vassar College Opera Theatre. In 2019, the group debuted in Grand Junction and took on their new name. Art Song Colorado has now expanded to the national stage by presenting at the Videmus Conference at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“Die schöne Müllerin”, a new recording for voice and guitar was released featuring Eapen Leubner and Michael Bevers. The album is the basis for the second season of #artsongexperiment, a YouTube show that introduces new audiences to art song.

Now available!

Also available on Spotify and Apple Music.

Art Song Colorado’s YouTube music videos illuminate the genre for audiences of all ages through 360-degree and VR video and digital effects. Two new albums are in production that will continue to inspire new videos into the future seasons. Art Song Colorado’s intimate style gives audiences a chance to experience the passion of classical singing and through clever narration that gives context and personal connection to songs both live and video performances.

The group elevates the professional careers of Colorado artists by presenting them across the state, nation and to the world through their internet performances. The management team has expanded to include Colorado Mesa University professors, Dr. Graham Anduri and Dr. Stefanie Anduri, who lead the Western Slope chapter. By performing across the state and harnessing the talent of Colorado singers and instrumentalists, Art Song Colorado is growing to be the home for professional recital performance, recording and video production for the state.

Join Art Song Colorado for “Musical storytelling in a timeless style.”

Herbert! The Colorado Springs Performance

By Art Song Colorado

Herbert! The Colorado Springs Performance

One night only in Colorado Springs