E4TT to Conclude Tenth Season at O1C

Dale Tsang, Anne Lerner-Wright, and Nanette McGuinness (from the Old First Concerts event page)

As was observed a little less than a year ago, Ensemble for These Times (E4TT) has been celebrating its tenth anniversary with three concerts in San Francisco during the current year. The group, which originally called itself the Jewish Music & Poetry Project, is a trio led by soprano Nanette McGuinness performing with instrumentalists Dale Tsang on piano and Anne Lerner-Wright on cello. The last of those three concerts will take place at the end of this month and will be hosted by Old First Concerts (O1C).

The title of the program will be 56 x 54: Focus on the Cello. As may be assumed from that title, much of the program will involve selections created as part of the 56 x 54 series of world premiere performances of works written in response to a Call for Scores issued in 2015. The second half of the title has to do with the performance of a capriccio for cello and piano composed by E4TT Co-Director David Garner. There will be three 56 x 54 world premieres, a ricercar for cello by Lawrence Kramer and two trios for the full ensemble, “From Lamentations” by David Lund and “The Sandpiper” by R. Michael Daugherty. The 56 x 54 offerings will also include Gladys Smuckler Moskowitz’ “Manic Screaming,” also performed by the full ensemble.

In addition the program will include two United States premieres and one West Coast premiere. All three of these works “focus on the cello.” The United States premieres include a suite for solo cello by George Hatzimichelakis and Frederick Schipizky’s “Sonia’s Letters,” scored for cello and piano. The West Coast premiere will be by Gene Pritzker, “In School-Days,” the first song in his Songs of Nostalgia collection, scored for soprano and cello. The program will also include “Music I Heard With You” by Tom Flaherty and “The Fig” by JJ Hollingsworth.

O1C events take place at the Old First Presbyterian Church, which is located at 1751 Sacramento Street on the southeast corner of Van Ness Avenue. If purchased in advance online from the O1C event page, general admission will be $23 with a discounted rate of $18 for seniors aged 65 or older. Tickets for full-time students showing valid identification will be $5; and children aged twelve and under will be admitted for free. There is also a discount available for those parking at the Old First Parking Garage at 1725 Sacramento Street, just up the street from the church.