by Mike Telin
Big things are happening for the innovative new music ensemble No Exit. In June they will embark on a two-week European tour that will include stops in Greece, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands.
If you’re unable to follow the ensemble to Europe, but want to hear their tour program, you’re in luck. On Wednesday, May 28 in Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, No Exit will play works by members of The Collective, an international consortium of composers that includes Agata Zubel, Mathew Rosenblum, Douglas Knehans, Spiros Mazis, Amy Kaplan, Constantine Koukias, Edward Smalldone, and Timothy Beyer. The program will be repeated on Friday, May 30 at The Bop Stop and Saturday, May 31 at Heights Arts. All concerts begin at 7:00 pm and are free.
No Exit’s Laura King spoke to Spiros Mazis and Agata Zubel. The interviews are reprinted with the permission of No Exit.
Spiros Mazis is a distinguished Greek composer, educator, and innovator. He serves as Professor of Composition and Director of the Classical and Contemporary Music Conservatory in Athens and is a member of the Greek Composers Union and The Collective—an international cooperative of composers. Orchestras across Eastern Europe and in the United States have showcased his unique compositions, including a recent performance of Sonic Entanglement at Carnegie Hall.
Spiros’s works are deeply informed by contemporary Physics and Mathematics, which he translates into musical structures with remarkable precision. He is also known for developing a new system of brass fingerings that allows performers to play pure microtonal intervals—an innovation that bridges theory and practice. At the core of his artistic vision is a commitment to creative and critical thinking, which continues to shape his singular musical voice.
No Exit caught up with Spiros recently, very curious to learn about his studious creative process and innovations. Click here to read more.
Known for her bold innovations in contemporary music, Agata Zubel pushes the limits of form and expression with striking vocal performances and compositional ideas. She has collaborated with many prestigious ensembles in concert venues throughout Europe and coast to coast in the U.S., with pieces such as Not I and Between earning international acclaim. As a vocalist, she has premiered numerous contemporary works, and her discography includes award-winning recordings that highlight both her singular voice and her compositions. Agata is also a professor at the Wrocław Academy, and an active member of the Polish Composers’ Union and The Collective, an international consortium of composers.
No Exit will be showcasing one of Agata’s works within an upcoming concert series in Cleveland and then on an international tour—so of course we had lots of questions for her. Click here to read more.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com May 27, 2025
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