Center for New Music: July, 2018

The Calendar Web page for the Center for New Music (C4NM) seems to indicate that things will be relatively quiet next month. As of this writing, only five concerts have been planned for the month of July. Given how busy the season has been at just about every venue that I frequent, I am not surprised that at least some of those venues feel a need for a rest. As always, I shall do my best to update this particular article if further concerts are announced, using my Facebook shadow site to get out the word about those updates.

C4NM is located at 55 Taylor Street, half a block north of the Golden Gate Theater, which is where Golden Gate Avenue meets Market Street. There will be some variation in admission charges for the events. All tickets may be purchased in advance through a Vendini event page. Hyperlinks to the appropriate Web pages will be attached to each of the dates in the following summary:

Wednesday, July 11, 8 p.m.: The Ochs Shelton Quartet will be able to celebrate the confluence of all four members being in the same place at the same time. The group is co-led by Rova saxophonist Larry Ochs (tenor and soprano) and Aram Shelton (alto saxophone and clarinet). Rhythm is provided by Scott Walton on bass and percussionist Kjell Nordeson. Both of the leaders prepare the compositions for the group; but these are pieces that allow for open-ended improvisations by all four of the members. This concert will serve as a prelude to a recording session. General admission will be $10 with a $9 rate for C4NM members.

Sunday, July 15, 2 p.m.: The Sky Was Beyond Description will be a concert of music for koto and bass koto written by the resident composer of the Wooden Fish Ensemble Hyo-shin Na. All of the works will be played by Wooden Fish koto player Shoko Hikage. General admission will be $15 with a $10 rate for C4NM members.

Saturday, July 21, 7:30 p.m.: Apparently, Julia Ogrydziak’s five-part HUSH Series is extending beyond its original conception of five concerts. She will curate a solo piano recital by D. Riley Nicholson. Last January Nicholson supplemented his premiere performance of his “Shimmer” will selections from The Book of Sounds, a suite of twelve compositions by Hans Otte. For this event Nicholson will play The Book of Sounds in its entirety. The entire performance should last about 70 minutes. Casual seating and drinks will be on hand. General admission will be $15 with a $10 rate for C4NM members.

[added 6/30, 10:15 a.m.:

Sunday, July 22, 5 p.m.: The Sunset Piano project was co-founded by Mauro ffortissimo and Dean Mermell. Origins & Destinations will be a program of “avant-garden music.” They play a prepared piano and a “liberated” piano, with which they stretch the conventional limitations of the twelve-tone chromatic scale. This will be their first performance after participating in Flower Piano at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. General admission will be $10 with an $8 rate for C4NM members.]

Friday, July 27, 8 p.m.: Emma Logan will curate a solo recital by violinist Robert Simonds. The program will consist entirely of compositions by American women. The composers on the program will be Missy Mazzoli, Cindy Cox, Patricia Van Ness, TJ Cole, Molly Joyce, Elizabeth Kennedy Bayer, and Alexis Bacon; and their works will offer an impressive diversity of influences. General admission will be $15 with a $10 rate for C4NM members, students, and seniors.

Monday, July 30, 8 p.m.: The month will end, as it began, with an evening of improvisation featuring a member of the Rova Saxophone Quartet. Playing a variety of wind instruments, Steve Adams will be part of an improvising trio, whose other members will be Michael Vlatkovich on trombone and Tom McNalley on guitar. General admission will be $15 with a $10 rate for C4NM members.