Monday, August 16, 2021

Sunset Music and Arts: September, 2021

Readers may recall that, in the past, Sunset Music and Arts has organized its season around the calendar year, rather than the usual convention of beginning in the fall and running through the end of the following summer. Clearly, all scheduling of performances had to change under pandemic conditions. However, while it is clear that we are not yet “out of the woods,” most of the “usual suspects” have announced plans for a 2021–2022 season. The first of these was San Francisco Opera, which, towards the end of this past June, announced a “transitional” season that will begin this Saturday, August 21. Shortly thereafter season plans were announced by LIEDER ALIVE!, San Francisco Performances, the San Francisco Symphony (SFS), and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale.

This morning Sunset Music and Arts created a 2021–2022 Season and Calendar Web page for its Web site. This begins with two concerts scheduled for next month and runs all the way through to two concerts to be held in October of next year. Since that Web page includes an empty slot for November of 2022 and a “place holder” for a Christmas Lessons and Carols program to be presented the following month on December 17, I would speculate that Sunset plans to return to the calendar year as the “frame” for its schedule of performances. Because tickets are sold only for individual concerts, however, defining “season boundaries” is not a particularly relevant issue. That said, here are the specifics for next month’s concerts:

Saturday, September 18: Jazz pianist Alon Nechushtan will lead the Alon Nechushtan Jazz Quartet in a performance entitled Klezmer-Jazz Project. Nechushtan has developed a “book” with solid influences from composers such as Billy Strayhorn and Thelonious Monk. However, he also leads the klezmer band Talat, which released a record for the Radical Jewish Culture Series hosted by John Zorn’s Tzadik Records. His quartet program will explore, as the project name implies, the cross-fertilization of klezmer and jazz practices.

Saturday, September 25: The month’s offerings will conclude with a performance by the Quantum Quintet. This is a piano quintet, whose members are violinists Wendy Loderhas and Odin Mitaineis, violist Meg Eldridge, cellist Joel Cohen, and pianist Jeanette Wilkin Tietze. The program will be devoted to Antonín Dvořák’s Opus 81, his second piano quintet in A major

All performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. They will take place in the Sunset district at the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, located at 1750 29th Avenue, about halfway between Moraga Street and Noriega Street. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission with a $20 rate for students and seniors. Because the demand tends to be high, advance purchase is highly advised. Tickets may be purchased online through Eventbrite. Each of the hyperlinks on the above dates leads to the event page for single ticket purchases. Further information may be obtained by calling 415-564-2324.

Finally, because we are still under pandemic conditions, all health and safety guidelines provided by the City and County of San Francisco must be honored. That means that a face covering is required for admission to all concerts, and it must be worn at all times. Face masks must completely cover the nose and mouth and have ear loops or similar to hold in place. Gaiters and bandanas are not acceptable.

In addition, proof of vaccination will be required for admittance. This may be provided with either a paper copy or a digital image. Children under the age of twelve are exempted from the vaccination requirement. Finally, Sunset has provided a Health and Safety Web page with a self-assessment based on ten easily answered questions. Those entering the building will implicitly acknowledge that they have answered “no” to all ten questions. Anyone that has answered “yes” to a question will be asked to return for another concert or offered a refund for paid tickets.

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