A Far Cry is a Boston-based, Grammy-nominated chamber orchestra acclaimed for its democratic structure, adventurous programming, and deeply engaged performances. WBUR has called the ensemble “a refreshing corrective to classical music’s rigid hierarchies,” while Boston Arts Diary praises its “top-notch, finely crafted, precisely delivered performances” and “robust communal expressiveness.” Guided by the belief that music can help create “a world that listens,” A Far Cry has become a model for artist-driven collaboration in classical music.
Now in its nineteenth season, A Far Cry presents nine distinctive programs shaped by themes such as memory, migration, love, and the passage of time. The orchestra’s subscription series includes full-ensemble concerts at Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory and chamber music performances at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, alongside appearances throughout the Boston area. The ensemble is known for collaborations that cross genres and cultures, working with artists such as tenor Karim Sulayman, cellist and singer-songwriter Yeemz, and piri virtuoso Gamin.
Founded without a single artistic director, A Far Cry operates as a collective of musicians—known as “Criers”—who collaboratively curate programming inspired by individual curiosity, shared values, and current events. This approach fosters a wide-ranging repertoire, strong audience engagement through initiatives like Listening Labs and family concerts, and performances that feel both rigorously crafted and vividly alive. As The Boston Globe has observed, even as A Far Cry has become a mainstay of the city’s musical life, “something about it feels perpetually fresh with every performance.”
Website: https://www.afarcry.org/