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Thompson Street Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in St. Louis, Mo., in partnership with management, acquired LifeSpan Biosciences, Inc., on August 31, 2018. LSBio is a founder-led developer and distributor of antibodies and related reagents whose customer base is primarily the academic and pharmaceutical research markets.

LSBio, originally founded in 1995 as an immunohistochemistry services provider, today offers a broad range of antibodies, kits, proteins and other biological reagents. Its offerings include proprietary, value-added and third-party products, and researchers have long-relied on its expertise to fulfill their molecular pathology needs. As part of its growth strategy, the company plans to continue to expand its catalog of high-quality reagents, both through internal research and development and a targeted acquisition strategy.

Thompson Street Capital Partners invests in founder-led middle-market businesses in the healthcare and life sciences services, software and technology services, and business services and engineered products sectors. Founded in 2000, the firm has acquired more than 100 companies to date.

Glenna Burmer has just launched The Composer’s Workshop, which gives local composers the opportunity to hear their works played live in an intimate setting.

The first workshop, held Feb. 4, featured original pieces by composers Nan Avant, Barry Dowsett and Glenna Burmer. Musicians were Madeline Woodward, Glenna Burmer, Nan Avant, Barry Dowsett, Sarah Ison, Sandra Layman, Dawn Corl, Annmarie Sewell and Bruce Kulander.

The Composer’s Workshop offers a unique opportunity for young symphonic composers. “My goal was to create a friendly environment that allowed composers to hear their music live during an early phase of the composition process,” explained Burmer. “This gives them the chance to stretch their skills and explore different instrument combinations and new musical genres before they go into a recording studio or concert hall.”

Nan Avant contributed two works: “Sonore” (French for “resonant with rich tone”) and “Musica Bella,” a Latin work for guitar, strings, percussion and piano. Dowsett wrote a piece for string ensemble and clarinet, “Bluest Ice.”

Burmer wrote three pieces that were performed during the workshop: “Winter Dance” for bowed psaltery and chamber ensemble; “The Puppy Dance” for piano and strings; and “The Reindeer Riders,” a chamber piece with solo clarinet inspired by the hunter-gatherers of the Kamchatka peninsula and Sakhalin Islands.

Burmer, managing director of Burmer Music, plans to host a Composer’s Workshop every few months, exploring different instrument combinations and genres. The sessions are in preparation for a new public concert, to be scheduled later this fall. The Composer’s Workshop is sponsored by Burmer Music and powered by Shunpike.

Glenna Burmer, with fellow composers Tim Huling and Nan Avant (left to right), traveled to New York City in mid-November for the 15th annual Independent Music Awards, held at Lincoln Center. The album, “Origins: Life and the Universe,” produced by Burmer Music, was nominated in two categories: Contemporary Classical Album and Long-form Video, but did not win.

“There were thousands of submissions,” said Burmer after the event. “We received a lot of compliments from the organizers but we didn’t make it past the last five nominees.”

More than 400 nominees in some 80 categories were culled from thousands of submissions sent in from around the world. The “Origins” concert premiered at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, Wash., in 2015. The previous year, in 2014, Burmer Music won its first IMA award for its acclaimed production of “Celebrate World Music.”

Despite the non-win, the event was a lot of fun, with attendees sporting “plenty of dark glasses, crushed purple velvet and patent leather,” said Burmer.

Origins: Life and the Universe, the groundbreaking, multimedia concert produced by Burmer Music in 2015, was nominated for two Independent Music Awards this week. Winners will be announced at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City on Nov. 12, 2016.

Origins was nominated by a distinguished judging panel in two IMA award categories: Contemporary Classical Album and Long-form Music Video. This prestigious music award covers a broad spectrum of today’s global independent music scene. Nominees representing a variety of categories such as albums, songs, music videos and design, are culled from thousands of submissions sent in from around the globe. This is the 15th year that the IMA awards are being presented.

The music, performed live by Northwest Sinfonia conducted by Grammy award winner David Sabee, was synchronized in real time to video projected onto a large screen on stage. The concert was a benefit for students at the University of Washington’s Astrobiology Program and Astronomy Department.

“Celebrate World Music,” a Burmer Music concert that premiered at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, won the 13^th Independent Music Awards Vox Pop poll, the fan-determined portion of the prestigious international award program for independent artists.

“Celebrate World Music” was a winner in the 2014 Contemporary Classical category. A second IMA Vox Pop winner was Nan Avant, whose composition “Tributum” is part of the Celebrate World Music CD. “Tributum” was selected by popular vote as best Instrumental Song.

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