Glass Clouds Ensemble

The Glass Clouds Ensemble (GCE) is a New York-based contemporary chamber music collective that performs imaginative concerts centered around environmental themes and community partnerships. GCE is a 2026 Organization-in-Residence with Governors Island Arts, presenting free public programming on Governors Island from May-October.

Founded in 2022 by Juilliard graduates, GCE has formed a wide community of NYC musicians, visual artists, dancers, and local environmental organizations. The ensemble is a first prize winner of the 2023 AVIMC competition, has held residencies at Yellow Barn and Avaloch Farm Music Institute, and has received support from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and Chamber Music America.

GCE performs concerts of varying instrumentation for voice and strings, and has commissioned music by adventurous composers including Hannah Selin, Seare Farhat, Christian Quiñones, Matthew Greenbaum, Melissa Dunphy, and Hannah Ishizaki.

GCE’s activities are rooted in partnerships with local environmental organizations, including Beyond Organic Design (2022) and Earth Matter NY (2023-25). Collaborations involve volunteering, rehearsal residencies, and the commissioning and performance of site-specific music. GCE's multi-disciplinary events have attracted audiences on Governors Island as well as at the Anita Rogers Gallery, James Cohan Gallery, and Tenri Cultural Institute.

GCE loves working with artists across disciplines. With dance company Jody Oberfelder Projects, the ensemble curated and performed music for And Then, Now (2024), an immersive dance production at Green-Wood Cemetery. GCE has multi-season partnerships with the Anita Rogers Gallery and painter Clara Curbera, curating performances in dialogue with exhibits. GCE also regularly performs contemporary chamber music with live electronics, and has worked closely with Mari Kimura and her motion-sensing technology MUGIC.