As Christmas Eve gets nearer, the number of serious listening opportunities starts to decline along with the duration of daylight hours. Nevertheless, there are a few events on the weekend of the winter solstice that are likely to be of interest to readers, particularly since they involve a diversity of genres. Specifics are as follows:
Saturday, December 21, 7 p.m., Adobe Books: The last music event of the year at this venue will embrace the darkness of the winter solstice with a three-set evening of “bleeding edge” offerings. The opening selection will be a quartet with Tom Weeks on saxophone, Kazuto Sato on bass, and two percussionists, Kevin Murray and William Winant. They will be followed by the KREation Ensemble, led by Kevin Robinson on woodwinds. The bassist will be Lee Hodel, and MaryClare Brzytwa will contribute both flute and electronics performances. The set will also feature spoken word performances by Tongo Eisen-Martin. Finally, bassist Lisa Mezzacappa will lead a group, whose other members have not yet been announced.
Adobe Books is located at 3130 24th Street in the Mission between South Van Ness Avenue and Folsom Street. While no further specifics have been provided, it is reasonable to assume that this gig will be free. However, donations will go directly to the performing artists and are strongly encouraged. At past events Adobe has provided free refreshments to those who make a book purchase of $6 or more, and it is likely that the managers of the book store will maintain this effort to encourage reading their offerings.
Saturday, December 21, 8 p.m., 8 p.m., Old First Presbyterian Church: A contrasting event will take place at almost the same time in the Old First Concerts (O1C) offering. Golden Bough is the trio of Margie Butler, Paul Espinoza, and Kathy Sierra, performing on a rich diversity of Celtic instruments. The Old First Presbyterian Church 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.
It is also worth noting that O1C will close out its December offering the following afternoon, Sunday, December 22, 4 p.m., with the annual Wintersongs program presented by Kitka and Director Shira Cion. The program will offer seasonal vocal music from a wide variety of different cultural sources. Ticketing information is the same as for Golden Bough, and the concert has its own event page for online purchase.
Saturday, December 21, 8 p.m., St. Mark’s Lutheran Church: Once again Voices of Music will present an annual Holiday Celebration concert featuring virtuoso concertos. The program will again feature violinist Alana Youssefian, playing the final concerto in Pietro Locatelli’s Opus 3 collection of twelve concertos entitled L'arte del violino (the art of the violin), featuring a capriccio known as the “Harmonic labyrinth.” William Skeen will be soloist in Antonio Vivaldi’s RV 407 D minor cello concerto. The program will also present the Voices of Music debut of violinist Rachell Wong. She will be joined by Skeen and violinist Carla Moore in a performance of Vivaldi’s RV 565 concerto, also in D minor, for two violins, cello, and strings. In addition, countertenor Christopher Lowrey will perform a selection of dramatic arias by George Frideric Handel.
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is located at 1111 O’Farrell Street, just west of the corner of Franklin Street. General admission for individual concerts will be $50, and the reduced rate for seniors and members of SFEMS, EMA, or ARS will be $45. An Arts People event page has been created for online purchase of tickets.
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