Modern Notebook for October 13, 2019
Photo: Aizuri Quartet (Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez)
This week’s Modern Notebook will highlight four pieces by living composers, ranging from a solo piano work to music for orchestra:
- John Adams‘ floating solo piano work, China Gates.
- A work for string quartet by Gabriella Smith performed by the Aizuri Quartet which was written as a response to the Barnes Foundation’s exhibit The Order of Things – where the art collection was displayed alongside unexpected objects.
- A short tone poem by Gabriela Lena Frank called Canto de Harawi: “Amadeoso” attempts to portray a childhood dream she had where she was walking alongside Mozart.
- Stumble to Grace, a piano concerto by Steven Mackey where the pianist “evolves” over the course of five “stages,” first by playing the piano only with their thumbs, and by the end, by playing virtuosic and graceful contrapuntal music.
Recent Shows
On the final episode of Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: Hideaki Aomori’s Split stretches the bass clarinet to its limits, exploring the full breadth of its sound world. This hour also features Baljinder Sekhon’s Drifting Seeds for cello and harp, along with music by Anna Mieke, Vivian Fung, and more. Then: chamber music by Jessica Ackerley called Spark Surge — one of the highlights of the final hour. You’ll also hear Fumiko Miyachi’s piano duo Up, Down, Top, Bottom, Strange Charm , alongside music by Shirish Korde, Oliver Knussen, and others. Also in this episode: music by Tania León performed by pianist Isabel Dobarro; Claire Victoria Roberts performed by the National Youth Choir of Great Britain; Judd Greenstein performed by NOW Ensemble; Justin H. Bush performed by saxophonist Timothy McAllister and pianist Liz Ames; and flutist Tessa Brinckman performing music by Shirish Korde.
Photo: composer Aart Strootman (photo courtesy of the composer's website).
Photo: composer and cellist Andrea Casarrubios (photo credit: Titilayo Ayangade).
Photo: composer Ellie Wilson. (Photo credit: Dimitri Djuric)
Photo: Les Percussions de Strasbourg (photo credit: Christophe Urbain)
Photo: composer Daniel Thomas Davis (photo credit: Melissa Rivard).
