Mission and History
Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble is a leading presenter of classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries. The ensemble was founded in 1975 as part of New England Dinosaur Dance Theater, and has been independently incorporated since 1977. Under the artistic directorship of Hubert Ho and Felicia Chen, Dinosaur Annex is passionately dedicated to bringing cutting-edge music of living composers to a diverse public and maintaining an outlet for music that is otherwise unheard. The ensemble aims to foster appreciation of contemporary music through exposure to the work of living composers; and to promote understanding of contemporary music through educational events, composer commissions, multi-media collaborations, performances, and recordings.
Dinosaur Annex’s history reflects more than 45 years of high-level music-making, and consistently rave reviews. Dinosaur Annex showcases a variety of composers and frequently invites guest conductors and soloists. The many composers promoted by Dinosaur Annex include John Harbison, Yu-Hui Chang, Elena Ruehr, Lee Hyla, Gunther Schuller, Keeril Makan, Tamar Diesendruck, Evan Ziporyn, Ezra Sims, Charles Shadle, Eve Beglarian, Scott Wheeler, and Lewis Spratlan. Dinosaur Annex is especially proud of its role in effecting a Pulitzer Prize for Spratlan’s previously unknown opera, Life Is A Dream.