Musical Traditions dba Paul Dresher Ensemble

The San Francisco-based Paul Dresher Ensemble is an innovative electro-acoustic collective of musicians that engages more than 3,000 audience members each year; collaborates with composers, theater, and dance companies; and produces and tours with its own assortment of experimental music theater in more than forty shows annually. The organization’s instrumentation combines traditional acoustic and contemporary instruments created by its musicians. During the grant period, the organization plans to collaborate with a local autism behavioral organization to develop a walk-through sound installation of musical instruments, intended to be the base for a theater piece called Max Understood, specifically designed to accommodate people on the autism spectrum. The ensemble also plans to tour locally and nationally, commission new work, collaborate with a host of musicians and composers, provide residency and fiscal sponsorship opportunities for local artists and arts organizations, and present instrument-building workshops with elementary schools in the region.