About

Beta Collide is a leading edge new music ensemble based in Oregon. Directed by Molly Barth (formerly of eighth blackbird) and Brian McWhorter (formerly of Meridian Arts Ensemble), Beta Collide focuses on the collision of musical art forms – from new complexity to ambient; from low-brow to high-brow; from radically extended technique to site-specific improvisation; from popular to the academy.

Described as “sensational” by NPR’s music critic Tom Manoff, Beta Collide frequently performs with guests that stretch the concert experience [Roger Hayes painting live on large-format canvases - Stephen Vitiello creating graphic scores for musical realization - Amit Goswami speaking about his spiritual theories via quantum physics - Jeffrey Stolet performing his own electronic music with Wii controllers and flashlights - choreographers Gillmer Duran and Shannon Mockli].

Beta Collide has been featured at the Astoria Music Festival, Oregon Bach Festival, Women Composers International Contemporary Music Festival [Seoul], New Music at Willamette, Music Today Festival, and the Wet Ink Music Series [Stanford University]. Beta’s work has also contributed to exhibitions for the Cantor Arts Center [Palo Alto], The Project [New York] DiverseWorks Art Space [Houston], and music videos [World Wide Web]. Beta Collide’s Portland debut concert was hailed by The Oregonian as one of the top 10 classical music concerts of 2008.  Beta Collide’s debut album Psst…Psst! [Innova] has had tons of great reviews including being called one of the top 5 classical albums of 2010 by the Willamette Week.