Rachel Bade-McMurphy's Glass Bead Orchestra

An expressive 10-piece Jazz ensemble sending listeners on a journey of poetic musings and the magical free association of the Art Spirit.

The Glass Bead Orchestra is an expressive and dynamic Jazz ensemble with lush wind orchestrations seeking to take the listener on a programmatic journey of poetic musings and the magical free association of the Art Spirit. Performing original compositions and arrangements that draw on the deep spiritual connection of free music, The Glass Bead Orchestra leans heavily on post-bop and modern jazz in addition to impressionistic cross-genre-fusion.

This 10 piece ensemble features some of the top players in the region.

Jared Hall

Cameron Laplante

Brendan McMurphy

Kate Skinner

Josh SKinner

Daniel Pinilla

Tana Bachman Bland

Tim Gales

Matt Peterson

led by Rachel Bade-McMurphy

The name Glass Bead orchestra is a nod to the spiritual and creative musicians associated with the Strata East label (referencing Clifford Jordan’s Glass Bead Games) which inevitably associates one to the Herman Hesse Novel The Glass Bead Game, making the way for a glorious association of literature, art, philosophical concepts and inspirational rhetoric.

Composer/vocalist/woodwind tone poet Rachel Bade-McMurphy envisions the Glass Bead Orchestra as an ensemble that can expand to work with a number of additional musicians based around the core ensemble of 3 winds, 2 strings and jazz rhythm section. Core members include Rachel Bade-McMurphy, Brendan McMurphy, Jared Hall, Cameron Laplante, Kate Skinner, Matt Peterson and a rotating cast of additional members.

This project is supported by a prestigious grant from Chamber Music America Perfomance Plus, funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. This program specifically supports professional development for female-led jazz ensembles.