ABOUT
BIOGRAPHY
ABOUT SYBARITE5
LONG BIO:
Equal parts passion, grit, and musical ecstasy, Sybarite5 is an intoxicating cocktail of genre-breaking artistry expressed through the virtuosity of violinists Simone Porter & Ariel Horowitz; violist Jessica Meyer; cellist Amanda Gookin; and double bassist Louis Levitt. It’s the first ensemble of its kind to win the prestigious Concert Artists Guild competition and the group is constantly evolving, defying categorization, and keeping audiences on their toes.
The group has performed in 44 states and counting, from the Library of Congress, (Washington DC) to Anchorage Concert Association, (Alaska) as well as concerts in Sybarite5’s home of New York City at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, National Sawdust, Le Poisson Rouge, the Cell Theatre, and in late 2023, as part of Death of Classical’s “The Crypt Sessions” series. Sybarite5 has also appeared at festivals including Ravinia, Grand Teton, Aspen, Caramoor, Wolf Trap, Interlochen, Chautauqua and many others. International appearances include Canada’s Tuckamore Music Festival and ChamberFest Ottawa, the New Docta International Music Festival in Cordoba, Argentina, and the Osaka Festa in Osaka, Japan.
Dubbed “the millennial Kronos” (Theater Jones), Sybarite5 is chamber music’s most dynamic ensemble taking listeners on a musical journey of staggering breadth and depth with new works by living composers, such as Curtis Stewart, Paul Wiancko, Jessica Meyer, and Aleksandra Vrebalov, as well as the group’s favorite selections from Mahler, Radiohead, & Coltrane... but as Strings Magazine says “that doesn’t even begin to describe the range of their eclecticism or the depth of their repertoire. “
In October 2023 Sybarite5 released their latest studio recording Collective Wisdom which received global acclaim and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Charts. The ensemble's discography includes four other critically-acclaimed recordings: Live from New York It's Sybarite5 (2020); Outliers (2018); Everything in its Right Place (2012) and Disturb the Silence (2010).
SHORT BIO:
Equal parts passion, grit, and musical ecstasy, Sybarite5 is an intoxicating cocktail of genre-breaking artistry expressed through the virtuosity and musicality of violinists Simone Porter & Ariel Horowitz; violist Jessica Meyer; cellist Amanda Gookin; and double bassist Louis Levitt. Having performed in 44 states and 4 continents (and counting), Sybarite5 brings listeners on a musical journey of staggering breadth and depth with new works by living composers, such as Curtis Stewart, Paul Wiancko, Jessica Meyer, and Aleksandra Vrebalov, as well as the group’s favorite selections from Mahler, Radiohead, & Coltrane...but as Strings Magazine says: “that doesn’t even begin to describe the range of their eclecticism or the depth of their repertoire.
INDIVIDUAL BIOS:
SIMONE PORTER, violin
Violinist Simone Porter has been recognized as an emerging artist of impassioned energy, interpretive integrity, and vibrant communication. She has debuted with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle and Pittsburgh Symphonies and with a number of renowned conductors, including Stéphane Denève, Gustavo Dudamel, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Nicholas McGegan, Ludovic Morlot, Donald Runnicles, David Robertson, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Manfred Honeck, Louis Langrée and David Danzmayr. Simone made her professional solo debut at age 10 with the Seattle Symphony and her international debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London at age 13. In March 2015, Simone was named a recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Learn more here
ARIEL HOROWITZ, violin & composer
Hailed by The Washington Post as “Sweetly Lyrical,” violinist, composer/songwriter, and community organizer Ariel Horowitz cannot remember life before loving music.
In 2020, Ariel joined the Concert Artists Guild roster for North American management, and enjoys an active touring schedule as a soloist and as one-half of Vision Duo, an ensemble formed with fellow CAG artist Britton-René Collins in 2021. As a composer, songwriter, and avid improviser, Ariel's original music centers themes of healing, community, and liberation. They have performed their compositions and songs around the world, including at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Learn more here
JESSICA MEYER, viola & composer
With playing that is “fierce and lyrical” and works that are “other-worldly” (The Strad) and “evocative” (New York Times), Jessica Meyer is an award-winning composer and violist whose passionate musicianship radiates accessibility and emotional clarity. Meyer’s first composer/performer portrait album, Ring Out (Bright Shiny Things, 2019) debuted at #1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Chart. Her second album I long and seek after is a collection of her vocal works that was recently released in March of 2024 on New Focus Recordings and was hailed by Musical America as “gorgeously scored.” Learn more here
AMANDA GOOKIN, cello & activist
Praised for her “expert technical work” (The Strad), cellist Amanda Gookin champions the future of music through bold performances, the creation of new works, and a deep commitment to education, cultural equity, and community engagement. Her initiative Forward Music Project, “a premier example of feminist advocacy done right” (I Care If You Listen), commissions new multimedia works for solo cello that elevate stories of feminine empowerment through raw performances and educational initiatives. Since its inception in 2015, FMP has commissioned 18 new works by such composers as Pamela Z, Paola Prestini, Jessie Montgomery, Angélica Negrón, Jessica Meyer, Allison Loggins-Hull, Kamala Sankaram, and Nathalie Joachim. She has been presented by The Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), The Wallis (Los Angeles), National Sawdust (New York City), OK Electric (Tulsa, OK), Forbes Center (Harrisonburg, VA) Park Avenue Armory (New York City), and deDoelen (Rotterdam, NL). Her first solo album, Forward Music Project 1.0 was listed in The 25 Best Classical Music Tracks of 2020 by the New York Times. Her 2021 sophomore solo album, FMP 2.0: in this skin, was praised as “cello playing at its height; delivering art” by the WholeNote. Learn more here
LOUIS LEVITT, double bass & composer
Grammy® nominated musician, entrepreneur, and educator, Louis Levitt was the first double bassist to win the Concert Artist Guild Competition with Sybarite5. He is also the founder of the critically acclaimed, Grammy® Award-winning record label, production company, and creative agency, Bright Shiny Things. A founding member of the string quintet, Sybarite5, Levitt has recently launched Sybarite Sound Lab, an incubator for bold artistic projects that extend beyond the core quintet, fostering ensembles of varying sizes, supporting boundary-pushing collaborations, and commissioning an ever-expanding range of new works. Learn more here