18 June, 2008 - Congratulations on successful completion of For the Living and the Dead development workshop
This year's June Workshop/Performance in Västerås and at the Västerås Koserthus was a huge success. This workshop featured development in the areas of movement, character development, lighting design, costume design and set design. A series of porcelain ladders created by Henny Linn Kjellberg hung from the ceiling and created a wonderful set for the work-in-progress performance. Torkel Skjaerven's lighting design created mood and special effects of shadows illuminating some visual aspects of Tranströmer's poetry and of our interpretation of it.
The performance included five complete pieces and featured two new musical improvisations and a dance improvisation. Our audience members - many of whom attended the performance at Engsö Castle last summer - spoke of how wonderful it is to watch the growth of the ideas and development of the elements of the piece. Tomas and Monica Tranströmer attended the performance and invited the entire cast to their hotel room for a celebratory drink and party.
The next development workshop will be held at the Gateway Theatre in Bellport, Long Island, January 2009. We are planning a three-week workshop with three work-in-progress performances. We hope to see you there!!!

14 June, 2008 - Companion Star presents a Development Performance of For the Living and the Dead at Västerås Concert House, Sweden
A unique occasion to witness a work in progress of For the Living and the Dead, a new chamber opera based on Tomas Tranströmer's poetry, with music of Ellen Lindquist (USA). Through open and keen listening and observance of the text, the piece is shaped by the group through improvisation; this is the basis for each step of the creation of the piece. Final premiere 2010. After the previous year's successful workshop and concert at Engsö castle, the international ensemble comes together again, with members from USA, Sweden, Norway, Canada, France and Spain.

13 October, 2007 - Moo, Squeal & Scratch: In the Garden of Shadows Concert of The Work in Progress at The Stone, New York
A concert of the work to-date on the production in development, Moo Squeal & Scratch: In the Garden of Shadows. The performance was held at The Stone in New York city.

1-16 June, 2007 - Third Development Workshops for For the Living and the Dead
The third round of development workshops was held at the Engsö Castle in Västerås, Sweden. The workshops culminated in a performances of the work in progress.

15 June, 2007 - Companion Star presents a Development Performance of For the Living and the Dead at Engsö Castle, Sweden
The fourth development performance for For the Living and the Dead was performed as part of the Tranströmer at Engsö Castle Festival.

11 June, 2007 - Companion Star American Poetry Festival at Engsö Castle, Sweden
As part of the Tranströmer at Engsö Castle Festival, cast from For the Living and the Dead recited American poetry.

10 June, 2007 - Companion Star Ensemble performs Chamber Music at Wik Castle, Sweden
The chamber ensemble performed music composed by Companion Star's own Ellen Lindquist as well as that of Witold Lutoslawski, Jesper Nordin, Maurice Ravel, Carl Reinecke, Franz Schubert, and Bent Sørensen.

15 March, 2007 - Composer Ellen Lindquist Departs for Sweden
Composer Ellen Lindquist's residence in Västerås, Sweden begins March 15 and runs through July. Ellen will compose material for rehearsal, further development and performance during the third set of development workshops for For the Living and the Dead, being held June 1-16 at the Engsö Castle in Västerås, Sweden.

1 March, 2007 - Trombonist Benjamin Lanz joins the cast of For the Living and the Dead
Benjamin's experience includes performances with new music ensembles Ensemble inc., Magnetic North, and the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, as well as with jazz and non-classical ensembles such as Anthony Braxton, Sufjan Stevens, and Hi Red Center. Ben's current focus is on the expansion of contemporary trombone repertoire through the commissioning of new works by young composers. Welcome aboard Ben!

19 & 20 January, 2007 - For the Living and the Dead development performances
Two preview concerts of the work in progress were held at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, NY, on Friday, January 19 and Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 7:30 pm. Tickets: $25, $15 students & seniors.
Call 631-827-1964 or email info@companionstar.org for reservations and further details.

13-21 January, 2007 - Second Development Workshop for For the Living and the Dead
The second round of development workshops culminated in two performances of the work in progress. On January 19 & 20 at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, NY, the full complement of collaborators presented their material-to-date. The improvisational material was well received and will be a principal source of content and inspiration for compositions to be presented at our next round of workshops in Västerås, Sweden, June, 2007.

April, 2006 - Tomas Tranströmer to be Honored with NYU Creative Program Award
Tomas Tranströmer, the poet whose work provides the foundation for Companion Star's debut performance, For the Living and the Dead, was honored by New York University with a Creative Program award in April, 2006.

14 March, 2006 - Composer Ellen Lindquist Awarded American-Scandinavian Foundation Grant
Composer Ellen Lindquist was awarded a $4000 grant from the American- Scandinavian Foundation to live and work in Sweden during the spring of 2007. Ellen will be composing material for För Levande och Döda (For the Living and the Dead), Companion Star's experimental chamber opera based on the poetry of Tomas Tranströmer. Ellen's work will culminate in a collaborative workship with the full 17-member ensemble in Vasterås, Sweden, June 2007.

19-20 November, 2005 - First Development Workshop for For the Living and the Dead
Companion Star is holding the first development workshop for their debut production, For the Living and the Dead. The development workshop will feature director Ted Altschuler, composer Ellen Lindquist, pianist Laura Barger, bass Michael D. Jones, and mezzo-soprano Kathleen Flynn.

18 October, 2005 - Companion Star Recognized as a Private Foundation
Achieving recognition by the United States IRS as a private foundation is a major milestone in Companion Star's plan to register as a not-for-profit organization.

14 December, 2006 - Concert, Staller Center Recital Hall, Stony Brook University
A selection from Companion Star's For the Living and the Dead was featured in the Stony Brook Composers' Concert.

12 May, 2006 - Debut of For the Living and the Dead Composition, Romanska Bågar
Ellen Lindquist presented Romanska Bågar, the first of her compositions for For the Living and the Dead, at the Transits: Voices Out Of Wilderness Concert held at the Tenri Cultural Center in New York City. Romanska Bågar was performed by mezzo soprano Kathleen Flynn, bass Michael Douglas Jones, and pianist Laura Barger.