SFCMP to Launch Art House Series Next Week

[updated 4/21, 10:25 a.m.: This concert, scheduled for tonight, has been postponed due to a positive COVID test:

This past September the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players (SFCMP) had planned to launch its 2021–22 season by beginning a new series, called the ART House Series. As the title suggests, this was planned to be a more intimate offering; and the first program, entitled Image and Memory, was conceived to present solo and duo performances by violinist Susan Freier and cellist Stephen Harrison. The performance had been planned for this past September 26 but had to be postponed due to pandemic conditions.

“Gallery” of the composers featured on the Image and Memory program (courtesy of SFCMP)

Next week Image and Memory will finally be given its performance by Freier and Harrison. The program, conceived by Artistic Director Eric Dudley, will be as follows:

• Augusta Read Thomas: “Silent Moon” for violin and cello (2006)
• Gabriela Lena Frank: two movements from Suite Mestiza (“Hailli” and “Tarqueada”), scored for solo violin (2017)
• Sofia Gubaidulina: two movements (“Your joy no man taketh from you” and “Listen to the still small voice within”) from a sonata for violin and cello composed in 1981 and entitled Rejoice! Freue dich!
• Libby Larsen: “Scudding” for solo cello (1980)
• Julia Adolphe: “Smile Softly, Softly Smile” for solo violin (2021)
• Erwin Schulhoff: duo for violin and cello (1925)

Following the performance, members of the audience will be free to engage with the performers and other new music enthusiasts. In addition to the music, patrons will have the opportunity to view and discuss Dirge, a portfolio of prints by the late Chinese artist Hung Liu that were commissioned by SFCMP.

This performance will begin at 7 p.m. next week on Thursday, April 21. There will also be a pre-concert discussion about Dirge, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. The event will be hosted by The Lab, which is located in the Mission at 2948 16th Street. Regular readers of this site probably know by now that the venue is a short walk from the corner of Mission Street. The location is particularly good for those using public transportation, since that corner provides bus stops for both north-south and east-west travel as well as a BART station.

General admission will be $15. A Web page has been created for taking orders. Presumably, tickets will also be available for purchase at the door. As usual, SFCMP Members will not be charged for admission.]