49th Season (2013-2014)

02.04.2014

Myth and Awakening

eighth blackbird
Anubis Quartet
Julia Bentley, mezzo-soprano
Daniel Won, clarinet

Anna Weesner: Lift High, Reckon—Fly Low, Come Close
Brett Dean: Sextet (Old Kings in Exile)
Augusta Read Thomas: Twilight Butterfly
John Orfe: Leviathan for 2 clarinets and piano
Lei Liang: Yuan for saxophone quartet

A program of Chicago “firsts.” A recent work by Australian composer Brett Dean, Old Kings in Exile is a “masterly achievement” (Daily Telegraph) and co-commissioned by the Nash Ensemble, the Australia Ensemble and eighth blackbird. Performed by the pioneering Anubis Quartet, Lei Liang’s work for saxophone quartet is “a 15-minute tour de force: a dense example of profound cross-culturalism.” (James Keller, Chamber Music Magazine)

This program is part of Envisioning China, a festival of art and culture presented by UChicago Arts. Learn more at envisioningchina.uchicago.edu.

$25 / $5 students

Buy single tickets online / Buy single tickets or subscriptions by calling the Box Office at 773.702.ARTS

03.02.2014

New Music for Violin and Piano

Miranda Cuckson, violin
Ning Yu, piano

Program:

Sofia Gubaidulina: Dancer on a Tightrope
Georg Friedrich Haas: de terrae fine for solo violin
Unsuk Chin: three selective etudes
Mario Davidovsky: Duo Capriccioso 
Jae-Goo Lee: Nol-i (I) for solo violin
Iannis Xenakis: Dikhthas

Fearless violinist Miranda Cuckson and Boucourechliev Prize-winning pianist Ning Yu present a program of contemporary violin and piano music in the spectacular and intimate Logan Performance Penthouse.

“undeniable musicality…[Miranda Cuckson] plays with such beauty and assurance”—Allan Kozinn, New York Times

$25 / $5 students

Buy single tickets online / Buy single tickets or subscriptions by calling the Box Office at 773.702.ARTS

04.26.2014

CONTEMPO DOUBLE BILL: 10th Anniversary with Patricia Barber

Pacifica Quartet, Don Michael Randel Ensemble-in-Residence
Lisa Kaplan, piano
Nicholas Photinos, cello
Nicholas Reed, percussion

Patricia Barber, piano and vocals
Ari Hoenig, drums
Gilad Hekselman, guitar
Patrick Mulcahy, bass

Franghiz Ali-Zadeh: Habil-Sayagy for cello and prepared piano
Elena Firsova: String Quartet No. 11, “Purgatorium”
Marta Ptaszynska: Space Model for solo percussion
Jazz set with Patricia Barber and the Ari Hoenig Trio

The 10th anniversary celebration of the Contempo Double Bill puts the work of top creative women in music from around the world front and center stage. The intrepid jazz artist Patricia Barber leads her quartet in the second half.

“Cross Diane Krall with Susan Sontag and you get Patricia Barber, whose throaty, come-hither vocals and coolly incisive piano are displayed to devastating effect.” (Time)

$25 / $5 students

Buy single tickets online / Buy single tickets or subscriptions by calling the Box Office at 773.702.ARTS

Gallery photos by Elliot Mandel.

05.09.2014

Tomorrow’s Music Today I

Enjoy music by some of today’s finest young composers, performed by Contempo’s resident ensembles, eighth blackbird and the Pacifica Quartet.

Igor Santos: quiet rooms
Marcelle Pierson: .dne
Andrew McManus: Flights
alican çamcı: [απο] [ορίζειν] – [apo] [horízein] 
twenty fragments in search for a horizon

Free admission / No reservations required

05.16.2014

Tomorrow’s Music Today II

Enjoy music by some of today’s finest young composers, performed by Contempo’s resident ensembles, eighth blackbird and the Pacifica Quartet. This concert will specially feature Cliff Colnot, conductor, Julia Bentley, mezzo-soprano, Ricardo Rivera, baritone, Chad Sloan, baritone, Jesse Langen, guitar, and Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, actress.

Jae-Goo Lee: Ma’um
Tomás Gueglio: Knowledgeable Viuda
Andrew McManus: Killing the Goat

Reception to follow, all invited!

Free admission / No reservations required

Read the program notes here.

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