Fulcrum Point New Music Project has built its reputation on boldly straddling the barriers between new art music and traditional music from around the world.
Established as Artists in Residence with Performing Arts Chicago from 1998-2003 Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s primary mission is to present new art music in performances and educational programs that explore the marriage of contemporary music, art, literature and socio-political issues.
Programs explore the complete spectrum of art music from neo-classical and modernist to Minimalism, avant garde, and improvisation. Inspired by the essential elements, international peace, children’s illustrated literature, religion, and poetry, as well as traditional and popular song and dance forms, Fulcrum Point champions an eclectic range of repertoire often influenced by folk, rock, jazz, blues, Latin, and world music, including commissioned works, and contemporary arrangements of traditional pieces by international composers.
In a quest to redefine the concert experience, Fulcrum Point performances often incorporate elements of dance, film, literature, cuisine, the visual arts, and audience/artists discussions. The concerts are purposely designed thematically to encourage audiences of diversity to make cross-cultural connections and, thereby, gain greater insight into the world today.
Stephen Burns, Artistic Director/trumpet
From his vocally expressive style on piccolo trumpet to multimedia performances on the Aboriginal didjeridoo Stephen Burns has been acclaimed on four continents for his dramatic interpretations and imaginative musicianship. Artist in Residence with Performing Arts Chicago, winner of the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Mr. Burns is an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and Maurice André International Competition 1st Grand Prix Laureat. He has performed in the major concert halls of New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Quebec, Tokyo, Paris and Venice. Stephen has been a featured guest on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Performance Today,” NBC’s “Today Show,” and at the White House.
As Artistic Director of Fulcrum Point and its sibling organization The American Concerto Orchestra Mr. Burns is a champion of classical contemporary music that is influenced by popular culture. He can be heard on Dorian, Haenssler, ASV, Delos and Musical Heritage Society CD’s. A former tenured professor of music at Indiana University, Prof. Burns is a visiting lecturer at the Amici della Musica Firenze in Florence, Italy. Presently he resides in Chicago with his wife, school psychologist, Katherine Neisser and their twin sons, Isaac and Edward.
Kevin Hartman-trumpet
Keving Hartman is a Professor of Trumpet at UW Milwaukee. Mr. Hartman holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University, where he studied with Vincent Cichowicz. Following his studies at Northwestern he played two seasons with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago (the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) and studied with Adolph Herseth, principal trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Hartman’s orchestral career has included numerous concerts, recordings and tours with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (most recently both 2001 New York tours, and the 2000 New York, Europe and South America tours). He has been principal trumpet with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Ravinia Festival Orchestra and the Lancaster Festival Orchestra. He has also performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Hartman has played for many of the world’s great conductors, including Georg Solti, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Christoph Eschenbach, Pinchas Zuckerman, Leonard Slatkin, Zubin Mehta and Michael Tilson Thomas. Mr. Hartman has performed as a soloist or orchestra musician in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the Canary Islands, and has played in the world’s great concert halls, including the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Philharmonie in Berlin and Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Hartman has also had an extensive career as a theater musician, playing long runs of many musicals, including Showboat, Beauty and the Beast, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, La Cage aux Folles, Cabaret, Fosse and many others. He has performed with many popular artists including Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, Yes, Dennis DeYoung, Audra McDonald, Emmylou Harris, Nancy Griffith, Melissa Manchester, Judy Collins, Lou Rawls, and many others. He has been heard on numerous national television and radio ads, including McDonald’s, United Airlines, Kellogg’s, Moen Faucets, Black and Decker and many others.
Gregory Flint-French horn
Gregory Flint, Assoc. Professor of Music at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, currently performs as principal horn with the Chicago Opera Theater, the Elgin Symphony, the Fulcrum Point New Music Project, the Joffrey Ballet, and the Ravinia Festival Orchestra. Other orchestral experience includes several seasons with the Grant Park Symphony and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. As a member of the Chicago Brass Quintet, he has traveled and recorded extensively. His interest in performing a wide variety of music has led to a many artistic opportunities including tours with Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin.
David Lee Jackson-trombone
David Lee Jackson is an active soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Fort Worth Symphony, the New World Symphony, the Cabrillo Music Festival Orchestra and the Spoleto, Italy Festival Orchestra. As a soloist and advocate of new music, Mr. Jackson has commissioned and performed the premieres of eight works for trombone. He has served on the faculties of Baylor University, Eastern Michigan University and the University of Toledo. His summers are spent teaching and performing at the Hot Springs Music Festival, and the Idyllwild Music Festival. Mr. Jackson is currently Assistant Professor of Trombone at the University of Michigan.
Rex Martin-tuba
Rex Martin, professor of music at Northwestern University, has performed recitals and given master classes in Japan, Korea, Australia, Latin America, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and throughout the United States. His playing can be heard on more than 75 recordings by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Sinfonietta, Symphony II, Chicago Pro Musica, and Mannheim Steamroller. As part of his busy freelance career, he is a member of Fulcrum Point, the Chicago Sinfonietta, The Ravinia Festival Orchestra, Symphony II, The Ars Viva Orchestra, Tower Brass and the Chicago Brass Ensemble. Martin has performed on more than 3,000 television and radio commercials. He has also performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, OFUNAM Orchestra of Mexico City, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. He has performed with Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Luciano Pavarotti, Sarah Vaughan, Wynton Marsalis and the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus. Before joining the faculty at Northwestern University, Martin had been a faculty member at the Oberlin Conservatory, Illinois State University, DePaul University, the University of Notre Dame, The Vandercook College of Music and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Martin was host of the 1995 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference.
Jeff Stitely-Drums
Jeff began his career as a jazz drummer in 1984, building a reputation in Chicago by playing with such superb artists as Chick Corea, Randy Becker, Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Harris, Larry Coryell, Groove Holmes, Kathleen Battle, Patricia Barber, Von Freeman and many others. The Jeff Stitely Quartet recorded three CDs, toured both the U.S. and Europe and was a finalist in the Hennessey National Jazz Competition. Jeff studied and performed African drumming and dance with Gideon Foli Alorwoyie for five years. This great musical tradition is about bringing spirit to the rituals of the community like weddings, harvests, births and funerals. In that same spirit, Jeff started Stitely Entertainment in 1994 when his interest in dance music combined with his desire to provide quality music for our traditions. In addition to playing music, Jeff has been on faculty at Northern Illinois and Northeastern Illinois Universities teaching percussion as well as working with k-12 students through Urban Gateways. He also leads weekend trainings that support men in living from principles and vision. Jeff lives in Chicago with his wife Liz, son Evan and daughter Olivia.