Innovative Projects – often involving new commissions and international exchanges – are the result of creative collaborations. Our favorite projects are documented here.

Metropolitan Museum of Art project – From Crystal to Gold

Rare flutes and guitars from the collection of musical instruments from the Metropolitan Museum of Art were played in concert at museums in New York and in Iowa. A compact disc recording was made titled Crystal to Gold and released by Fleur de Son Classics.

21st Century project – Artistic Celebration

Seven composers were each commissioned to write a three-minute work inspired by art from the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. View the visual art that inspired new music for flute and guitar. A compact disc recording was made titled Red Cedar Collection and released by Fleur de Son Classics.

Czech International Exchange project – From Starched Shirt Cuffs

Inspired by Dvorak's residency in Iowa, fifteen Iowa composers contributed variations to Spillville Variations on a Theme by Dvorak ­ the centerpiece of a cultural exchange with the Czech Republic.Collaborations were with the National Museum in Prague and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A compact disc recording was made titled Czech-Inspired and released by Fleur de Son Classics.

American Gothic project – Five Turner Alley

Grant Wood's masterpiece American Gothic was created at Five Turner Alley in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A new commission by Andrew Earle Simpson celebrates the work. Project completed in collaboration with the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. A compact disc recording was made titled Fireflies and released by Fleur de Son Classics.

Ancient Rome project – Rome or Bust!

Andrew Earle Simpson was commissioned to write a chamber music in response to an art exhibit at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art called Art in Roman Life: Villa to Grave. The Red Cedar Trio premiered the work titled Tesserae: 5 Mosaics of Ancient Rome in April, 2004 in a Roman Villa constructed in the gallery of the museum. A compact disc recording was made and released by Fleur de Son Classics. The project was taken to Washington D.C. and Baltimore, MD in 2009.

a Dvorak in Iowa project – a Dvorak Sighting

Antonin Dvorak lived for 3 months in Spillville, Iowa in 1893. The first work he completed while in Iowa was his famous American Quartet in F Major. Red Cedar Chamber Music and the Avalon Quartet collaborated to present a project in April, 2010 which features the American Quartet and a new commission by Harvey Sollberger called Spillville for flute, guitar and viola.