Deviant Septet’s mission is to fulfill the vision Igor Stravinsky had for his “L’Histoire du Soldat” ensemble. Stravinsky, enamored by the unusual combination of instruments — violin and bass, clarinet and bassoon, trumpet and trombone, and percussion — thought that others would follow his lead, and that this unique blend of the soprano and bass voice of every instrument family would perform the music of many composers. While Stravinsky’s contemporaries were seemingly not up to the task, Deviant’s central mission is to bring his vision to life by creating a repertoire for this distinctive ensemble. Contemporary composers jump at the chance to solve Stravinsky’s riddles. Deviant Septet is unique among the world’s new music collectives, as it is the only ensemble consisting solely of this instrumentation.

Directly addressing the issue of underrepresentation of female composers in both the classical and new music spheres, Deviant Septet is planning to record a new album consisting of works composed by women and written specifically for our ensemble. In addition to existing pieces by Caroline Shaw, Elizabeth Ogonek, Sarah Grace Graves, Aristea Mellos, and Zoe Yucong Wang, we are commissioning Brooklyn-based composers Mary Kouyoumdjian and Shelley Washington to round out the repertoire for the album. At the core of Deviant Septet’s mission is collaboration with composers who wish to explore and create new works utilizing Stravinsky’s unique Soldier’s Tale instrumentation. With the release of this recording and subsequent touring, we hope to do our part in changing the status quo, documenting the distinctive musical styles of this diverse group of artists. The music recorded here will appeal to a broad audience: one that sees itself reflected in the artists being presented. Deviant Septet recognizes the need to support composers from marginalized groups beyond isolated commissions and this recording and concert project will help in the furthering of that goal.