LILACS

Lilacs is a trio of Boston-based composer-performers. Soprano Rose Hegele, clarinetist Shannon Leigh, and cellist Brianna Tagliaferro met in 2017 as graduate students of the Boston Conservatory’s Contemporary Classical Performance program. Often working together in larger chamber music settings, the trio premiered their first piece in December 2017, working with fellow Boston Conservatory student, composer Alissa Voth. Alissa wrote “And Outright Fabrication,” manipulating a spoken quote from George W. Bush, highlighting the hypocrisy of politicians today. Inspired by Alissa’s piece and by a shared passion to represent the music of women and people of color, Lilacs was formed. The main goal of the trio is to perform and commission works by composers who we admire and want to represent, namely women and people of color. Our name, Lilacs arises from our desire to create performance experiences that embrace ephemerality, drawing people into the present moment wherein they can take a step back and “smell the lilacs.”