Old First Concerts
Old First Church
1751 Sacramento @ Van Ness Ave. SF
March 7: Wooden Fish Ensemble celebrates the music of Hyo-shin Na with performances of a selection of her works for mixed instruments. After studying piano and composition in her native Korea, Hyo-shin Na came to the U.S. in 1983 to do graduate work at the Manhattan School of Music and the University of Colorado, where she received her doctorate. After moving to San Francisco in 1988, she met Cage, Rzewski, Wolff and Takahashi, and encountered the music of Nancarrow. At the same time, she made return trips to Korea to hear and study traditional Korean music while also taking a broad interest in the music of other regions of Asia. Her writing for combinations of western and eastern instruments is unusual in its refusal to compromise the integrity of differing sounds and ideas; she prefers to let them interact, coexist and conflict in the music.
March 12: An Evening of Copland and Friends Jennifer Beattie, mezzo-soprano; Adam Marks, piano. Hailed by Opera News Online for her "exuberant voice and personality," mezzo-soprano Jennifer Beattie is a versatile and dynamic performer in styles ranging from opera to chamber music and musical theatre to cabaret. She is a sought-after recitalist dedicated to the performance of art song, appearing in concert in NYC at such venues as The National Arts Club, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center and Riverside Church. Pianist Adam Marks is known for his innovative and impassioned performances, earning him praise as a soloist, collaborator and instructor. Frequent collaborators, they will perform "Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson" by Copland along with works by Debussy, Gershwin, Bolcom and more.
March 21: Thomas Schultz. Praised by "San Francisco Chronicle" music critic Joshua Kosman for his "strong, fearless execution," "depth of feeling" and "fiery elegance and formal command," Thomas Schultz has established an international reputation both as an interpreter of music from the classical tradition, particularly Bach, Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt, and as one of the leading exponents of the music of our time. He has worked closely with such eminent composers as John Cage, Morton Feldman, Christian Wolff, Frederic Rzewski, Earle Brown, Jonathan Harvey and Elliott Carter (in performances of the "Double Concerto" at the Colorado Music Festival and at Alice Tully Hall in New York). For this concert he focuses solely on music of the 20th century, with works by Cage, Rzewski and Hyo-shin Na.
March 28: Zofo presents Mosh Pit - American Dances for Piano Duet, Keisuke Nakagoshi; Eva-Maria Zimmermann, piano As one of only a few ensembles worldwide focusing on piano duets, ZOFO is reviving hidden gems of the one-piano-four-hands repertoire along with a strong emphasis on performing 20th and 21st century music. By also playing arrangements of famous orchestral pieces, ZOFO explores the realm that many composers first experience in their symphonic works. ZOFO believes that the piano duet is the most intimate form of chamber music, with the two performers playing synchronized interwoven lines on one instrument. The choreography of the four hands is as beautiful to watch as the rich tapestry of sounds dancing out of the piano. ZOFO is deeply committed to enrich the piano duet repertoire by commissioning new works each year. Mosh Pit is a program of piano duet pieces written by all American composers of the 20th and 21st century, a total mix of different styles ranging from George Gershwin's own crystal-clear piano four-hand arrangement of his exuberant "Cuban Overture" to Samuel Barber's nostalgic ballet suite Souvenirs. Other pieces in the program include John Corigliano's "Gazebo Dances," Allen Shawn's rhythmically tricky "Dance Portraits" influenced by rock music, and Bay Area composer David Garner's jazzy "Four for Shiva."
When:
3 performances between Mar 12, 2010 and Mar 28, 2010
Original Price:
$15.00
TIX Price:
$8.50
