Pittsburgh New Music Net

PNC Recital Hall at the Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University
Free

Spring has finally arrived and the antarctic-like weather has subsided. Our concert celebrates the arrival of spring with seven very distinct, colorful pieces. I am very happy and excited to say that the concert features not one, but THREE new works by Duquesne student composers…

Chris Jarvis’ Music for When the Sun is Absent from the Sky (world premiere, based on G. Gabrieli and Thomas Hardy)

Gracie Sutherland’s Novaya Zemyla (back by popular demand)

Scott Steele’s Three Cello Shorts (world premiere of second movement)

….as well as a new arrangement of a work by Mark Danciger’s Thaw, a new arrangement of a song by Sarah Kirkland Snider (Chrysalis), and the second Pittsburgh performance of Missy Mazzoli’s Magic with Everyday Objects. All three of these pieces are truly magical, and the performances will be so focused that they will surely help to usher in spring. Please join us for music, magic and food afterwards.

The Duquesne Contemporary Ensemble is:

Caitlyn Bovard, flute

Nolan Petote, clarinet

Abby Gross, alto saxophone

Chris Jarvis, euphonium, composition

Molly Rae Maiolo, soprano

Michael Borowski, electric guitar

Scott Steele, percussion, composition

Mary Kefferstan, piano

Cara Garofalo, violin

Peter Levine, cello

Amy Gilman, contrabass

Patrick Burke, co-director

Submitted by Patrick Burke

The Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra in rehearsal…we think…

So it’s shaped up to be a really interesting week for new music in the Burgh. Patrick Burke will make his debut as director of Duquesne’s Contemporary Ensemble this Thursday at PNC Recital Hall, The Outer Circle, a group formed by veterans of the local avant-garde improv scene, gives their debut concert on Friday at The Nerve, and Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra returns with another program that lives up to that band’s name on Sunday at Grey Box Theatre. Check out all the details on the Events Calendar, and as always, shoot me an e-mail if you have, or know of, something interesting going on.

PNC Recital Hall
$10 suggested donation

Patrick Burke will lead Duquesne’s Contemporary Ensemble in a concert including

Aria by Kevin Puts for violin and piano
Canzon by Judd Greenstein for euphonium and delay pedal
Sonnets/Unrealities, a text setting of e.e. cummings by Bjork
Mariel by Osvaldo Golijov for cello and marimba
Les Moutons de Panurge by Frederic Rzewski

Unless your transportation comes equipped with an alternate reality drive it’s going to be tough to get to all the great contemporary music happening in the Burgh this weekend.

Music on the Edge and the Warhol kick things off on Friday night with a performance by Alarm Will Sound at The New Hazlett. On Saturday, Walter Morales leads the Carnegie Mellon Contemporary Ensemble in the Pittsburgh premiere of John Adams’ Grand Pianola Music (featuring piainsts Jack Kurutz and Robert Frankenberry) and Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht. Sunday is when you will need to spin up the alternate reality drive so that you can see the Duquesne University Symphony Orchestra and flutist Alberto Almarza premiere David Stock’s new Flute Concerto (see below), then hop over to the Brew House on the South Side where Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra will feature the premiere of i meet you. i remember you. by Pittsburgh composer David Gerard Matthews, featuring the intrepid Roger Zahab as violin soloist. Speaking of which, I’m delighted to welcome ELCO to the links section of the blog.

Flutist Alberto Almarza and the Duquesne University Symphony Orchestra premiere David Stock’s Flute Concerto on

Sunday, March 22, 8 p.m.
at Carnegie Music Hall.

 Just tell them David sent you & you’ll get in free!

About Alberto Almarza
Described as a virtuoso flutist by the Boston Globe, Alberto Almarza brings a unique and passionate approach to music. His versatility and musicianship have led him to perform and record some of the most adventurous and challenging pieces from the music of today as well as works from the standard repertoire and Baroque literature on period instruments.

A native of Chile, Mr. Almarza previously held the position of Principal Flute of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago. He later came to the United States to study with Jeanne Baxtresser in New York and with Julius Baker at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he obtained his Master’s degree. He currently serves on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon as Associate Teaching Professor of Flute.

His skills as a pedagogue, lecturer and recitalist have led to invitations from international festivals in the U.S., Mexico, Germany, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Peru. He is a resident artist and member of the faculty at The Jeanne Baxtresser International Master Class and has been recently appointed to the National Flute Association Advisory Board for New Music.

Mr. Almarza has appeared as soloist with Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Memphis Symphony, BachFest Chamber Orchestra, and the Symphonic Orchestra of Chile and has collaborated with such artists as Julius Baker, Andrés Cárdenes, Lionel Party and the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, among others. As a leading proponent of new music for the flute, Mr. Almarza has been instrumental in expanding the repertoire with numerous commissions and premieres of works by composers from around the world. Pieces written for him include five flute concertos and dozens of solo and chamber works.

A quick reminder about two three upcoming concerts:

On Thursday, February 12, David Stock leads the Duquesne Contemporary Music Ensemble in premieres by Andrew Kaiser and Paul Richards.

On Saturday, February 14, Mattin performs at Future Tenant with local improvisation artists Michael Johnsen, Melissa St. Pierre, and Tusk Lord. 

Update: On Sunday February 15, The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble performs at Carnegie Mellon’s Alumni Hall with local artists Michael Boyd and Ryan Socrates

You can find out details for both these concerts by visiting the Events Calendar.

Duquesne’s PNC Recital Hall

David Stock conducts the Duquesne Contemporary Ensemble in premieres of works by Resa Vali, Randy Woolf, David Cutler, and David Stock.

Featuring soprano Kathy Soroka

$10 suggested donation

Update: This concert was originally posted as March 16 rather than April 16. Sorry for the mixup, and now it’s time to create a category called “Good Help is Hard to Find.” –The Management

Carnegie Music Hall

The Duquesne University Symphony Orchestra and flutist Alberto Almarza will premiere David Stock’s Flute Concerto.

$10 suggested donation

Duquesne University’s PNC Recital Hall

David Stock conducts the Duquesne Contemporary Ensemble in premieres by Andrew Kaiser and Paul Richards.

$10 suggested donation

Posted for Patrick Burke

Next Thursday— December 4—the Duquesne University Contemporary Ensemble will premiere my new work for chamber orchestra, “Breakthrough: Music for an Imaginary Film.” Over the years, many people have told me that my music evokes a visual image or a narrative. And lately, I’ve been writing music for film. So with this piece, I took a theme that intentionally sounds cinematic, inviting the audience to imagine their own story line. I hope you’ll join me for this “riveting” music that opens the concert!

Duquesne University Contemporary Ensemble
Thursday, December 4, 8PM ($10, students free)
PNC Recital Hall (First floor of the music school)

Many thanks,
Patrick
www.myspace.com/patrickaburke