PORTLAND — They play standing up, except for the
cellist.

Known for their musicianship and unusual collaborations, they like to introduce new sounds and fresh global insights
into their music.

They play in bars and clubs as well as recital halls — and have performed in a Buddhist temple.

Brooklyn Rider, a quartet whose members are veterans of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project, will perform Saturday, Feb. 27, courtesy of Portland Ovations. The group will play works by Claude Debussy and Philip Glass as well as quartet member and composer Colin Jacobsen.

Brooklyn Rider members have worked with contemporary composers such as Derek Bermel, Lisa Bielawa, Ljova, Philip Glass, Osvaldo Golijov, Jenny Scheinman and Dimitry Yanov-Yanovsky.

A frequent part of Brooklyn Rider’s programming involves works written or arranged by group members. Collaborations are also an integral part of their work. Some recent special guests include Chinese pipa virtuoso Wu Man, Syrian/Armenian visual artist Kevork Mourad, traditional and technology-based Japanese shakuhachi player Kojiro Umezaki, Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes, and singer/songwriter Christina Courtin.

A collaboration between Brooklyn Rider and Persian kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor resulted in the critically acclaimed 2008 recording “Silent City.”

The concert will begin at 8 p.m. at Hannaford Hall on the University of Southern Maine’s Portland campus.  USM professor and composer Dr. Dan Sonenberg will give a free,
preperformance lecture titled: “Improvisation, Inspiration, and
Influences from Around the World.”Brooklyn Rider members will be available after the concert for questions and to sign CDs.

Tickets are $32, $10 for students. They are available through PortTix, the box office at Merrill Auditorium; by  calling 842-0800; and online at www.portlandovations.org.