Deviant SeptetThe premiere performance of Focusing for seven players by David Liptak, will be given by the ensemble Deviant Septet in Whitmore Hall, at the University of Missouri on Friday, February 26th. Focusing was written for Deviant Septet and in response to a 2013 commission from the Koussevitzky Music Foundation. Aligned with this event, David Liptak will be in residence as guest composer at the University of Missouri. A second performance is scheduled for April 30th at the Eastman School of Music, as a featured part of the 2016 Benson Forum on Creativity.Deviant Septet has been hailed as an exciting (New York Times), stylish new ensemble (New York Magazine). Superb (Washington Post), exceedingly fun and led by new music veterans (Time Out New York), lively and accomplished (Classical TV: The Drift) and boisterously entertaining (Lucid Culture). WNYC called it a brand new ensemble with a high concept made up of top classical and avant garde musicians, and ran a feature on its premiere concert in May 2011. Deviant Septets commission of David Liptaks Focusing received a 2013 Serge Koussevitzky Foundation commissioning grant.