Sput.ter: to make a series of soft explosive sounds, typically when being heated or as a system of a fault
Box.: a container, perhaps a rug
Who we are
A Sputter Box performance is a captivating and unique experience from start to finish. While only a trio (clarinet, voice, percussion), this ensemble can move from “mindfully constructed textures that are light as a feather, and then turn on a dime to explode into something practically orchestral without missing a beat” (Michael Genese). As the pioneers for the unique instrumentation, Sputter Box is committed to building a diverse and exciting repertoire. They perform interdisciplinary pieces involving sound, theater, movement, visual art, and improvisation. Sputter Box prioritizes intimate collaboration with music creators and artists from various disciplines through nontraditional composition approaches. Through this creation process, the performers have also become the creators, rather than only being interpreters of the final product.
Sputter Box has been a guest artist at University of Massachusetts–Amherst (2020) and University of Florida (2021-2022) and was the Featured Ensemble Fellow at the 2020 Cortona Sessions for New Music. They were a recipient of the 2021 Chamber Music America Ensemble Forward Grant and the 2022 Queens Arts Council Grant. Sputter Box was a collaborating ensemble for the Kinds of Kings Bouman Fellowship and will work with composer DM R through the Harvard University FROMM Music Foundation Commission Grant. Sputter Box has performed at the Minnesota Fringe Festival in 2021 and 2022 and regularly performs in New York City.
During the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, Sputter Box commissioned, recorded, and created their first self-produced album, Sputter (SHRINKS THE) Box. In the middle of March 2020, they created a call for 1-minute compositions for bass clarinet, soprano, and djembe. Composers were not only limited in their instrumentation but also by Sputter Box’s desire to not disturb their neighbors too much as they recorded their parts separately from NYC apartments. The project expanded into Sputter Box’s debut album featuring 28 composers from around the world. Each piece was accompanied by video as well, which can be found on Sputter Box’s website and social media accounts.
Collaboration and community are the core of Sputter Box’s work. Their repertoire is typically influenced by contemporary classical music practices but is often guided by the strengths and backgrounds of the collaborating music and art creators. In the past this has included a residency with composers (Alan Hankers, Chris Lucius Newman, Joe Krycia) and a choreographer (Neil Parsons) where they collectively created three works based on sounds, movements, and theatrics through a series of experimental workshops at Avaloch Farm Music Institute (2019). These works were presented in 2019 at Music for 5x8 Rug, at Areté Venue and Gallery in Brooklyn. In 2020, Sputter Box performed Sputter (SHIFTS THE) Box at ShaperShifter Lab in Brooklyn. The performance included a premiere of the piece, “Contrasting Ways of Thinking,” written for the ensemble by Maxime Esformes and works by Bethany Younge, Georges Aperghis, and Victor Ekimovsky. As live music came back to New York City, Sputter Box premiered three new works over two concerts in the spring of 2022; Allison McIntosh’s “Snapshot of the Red Eclipse,” John Ling’s “VICKY AND DIXON,” and Bouman Fellow, Silen Wellington’s “by the cauldron [in your hips]”. Sputter Box’s upcoming projects include collaborations with composers Noah Magnus, DM R, Chris Ruenes, and Gregory Wanamaker. This season has included two concerts featuring premieres. During the fall, Sputter Box presented their collaboration concert with the Millennium Composer Initiative (MCI) with works by members, Stephen Jackson, Ali Balighi, Conner Shaw, Dominic Matthews, Eddie Jonathan Garcia Borbon, Dylan Tran, and Isaac J. Mayhew. Most recently, through the Queens Arts Council New Works Fund, they premiered “stillness to……..” by Daijana Wallace(composer) and Kakia Gkoudina (video artist) with two performances at Art House Astoria. Stay tuned for more premieres at upcoming concerts and engagements!
In addition to performing, Sputter Box hosted a monthly interdisciplinary arts improvisation event open to all artists and ability levels called Sputter (Open) Box Improv from January 2019-February 2020. This event, which has historically taken place at Stony Brook University, will be branching out to New York City. Stay tuned for news on (OPEN) Box improv and find out about their next Sputter (Open) Box Improv here.
Sputter Box was founded by Kathryn Vetter (clarinets), Alina Tamborini (soprano), and Peter White (percussion).
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For commissions, collaborations, and other inquiries, please click here or email us at sputterboxensemble@gmail.com
Our Commitment to the new music community
Sputter Box’s main mission is to create the core repertoire for our instrumentation. The pieces that already existed for our ensemble were all written by white composers; therefore, to achieve any racial diversity on our programs, we must commission creators of color. We value collaborating with all creators; however, we acknowledge that only working with composers that have the time and privilege to write for no monetary fee inherently builds a mostly uniformed repertoire. Out of our commissioning budget, a minimum of 80% goes to composers from underrepresented groups and a minimum of 60% goes to composers of color.
Sputter Box believes that anyone should be able to attend our concerts and see themselves represented in either the performers, composers, or collaborators. As an all-white, cisgender and able-bodied ensemble, we recognize that our efforts in commissioning and collaborating must offset our own racial and cisgender homogeneity. Our main collaborating focuses include more than just collaborating for one concert or event–they are rooted in our desire to create meaningful connections and lasting working relationships with artists from all backgrounds, identities, and disciplines.
No ensemble or artist is perfect and we acknowledge that we may make mistakes along the way. In order to prevent these mistakes and continue to improve our ensemble’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, we surround ourselves with people we can check in with and have honest conversations with about political and social issues. In order to stay committed to our own goals and values, we must stay open to criticism, differing ideas, and change.