The School of Music presents more than 100 concerts and special events in 2013-14 spotlighting the talents of our faculty, students, and guest artists. Highlights mentioned here are only a small sampling of the full array of upcoming performance season.
Places, Everyone, and Cue the Guitar: A Sept. 29 master class by Grammy winning guitarist Andrew York marks the opening of our concert season and the return of the Seattle Classic Guitar Society International Master Class Series, hosted by faculty guitarist Michael Partington. Other dates on the series are Nov. 10 (Katona Twins), Feb. 23 (Berta Rojas), and April 27 (Artyom Dervoed).
French Organ Festival Oct. 9-11: John-Baptiste Robin, organist at the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles, leads two master classes with UW music students (Oct. 9 at St. James Cathedral and Oct. 10 at the Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall) and performs a concert of French organ music (Oct. 11 at St. James Cathedral) in this three-day French Organ Festival, hosted by the School of Music, the Seattle Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, and Saint James Cathedral. Other organ events in 2013-14 include the venerable Littlefield Organ Series, kicking off Oct. 26 with the Halloween Organ Concert. Other dates are Nov. 14 (Daniel Zaretsky), Jan. 12 (Eunyoung Kim), and March 2 (Robert Parkins).
University Symphony: The School of Music welcomes Boston native David Alexander Rahbee as director of orchestral activities for the 2013-14 academic year. He makes his conducting debut with the orchestra on Oct. 23 at Meany Theater, with Seattle Symphony Principal Trumpet and School of Music faculty member David Gordon on trumpet. Other performances are Dec. 6 (with Seattle Symphony Concertmaster Alexander Velinzon); Jan. 30 (with guest conductor Stephen Stubbs and musicians from Pacific MusicWorks); Feb. 14 (With Seattle Symphony Music Director and UW Music affiliate professor Ludovic Morlot and winners of the Concerto Competition); March 14 (with Seattle Symphony principal harp and School of Music faculty member Valerie Muzzolini Gordon); April 22 (with the combined University Choirs and co-conductor Giselle Wyers); and June 6 (with guest pianist Janelle Fung).
Music of Today: The second year of this series co-presented by the School of Music and the Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) brings renowned visiting ensembles and faculty artists to Meany Hall for performances of groundbreaking new works and modern classics. Guest artists this year include violist Garth Knox (Oct. 22), performing solo and with the Seattle Modern Orchestra and faculty violist Melia Watras; English composer Brian Ferneyhough, whose music will be performed by the UW Modern Music Ensemble (May 19) and an evening of two concerts by the New York contemporary chamber group the JACK Quartet (March 15, co-presented with the UW World Series). Other dates on the series are Nov. 14 (DXARTS presenting an evening of electro-acoustic music), Feb. 25 (a residency by Swiss composer/conductor André Richard concluding in a concert of music by Luigi Nono and others), and April 17 (DXARTS presenting an evening of experimental, improvised music).
Collaborations: We are pleased to welcome new faculty and new collaborators in 2013-14, including conductor and early music specialist Stephen Stubbs and his production company Pacific MusicWorks, staging a top-notch production of Handel’s oratorio Semele May 16-18 at Meany Theater. The School of Music also celebrates the appointments of guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Ted Poor to the Jazz Studies faculty with a series of concerts in early November on the UW campus co-presented by Earshot Jazz and Earshot Jazz Festival 25. Starting off a string of three UW concerts, Frisell performs in two distinct trios over two nights of performance at the UW’s Jones Playhouse--Friday, Nov. 1 with UW Jazz faculty Cuong Vu on trumpet and Seattle musician Robin Holcomb on piano, and Sunday Nov. 3 with UW jazz faculty members Luke Bergman, bass, and Ted Poor, drums. On Sunday, Nov. 10, Frisell moves over to the Meany mainstage for an evening with his Big Sur Quintet—Hank Roberts, Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang, and Rudy Royston—featuring an opening set by Frisell and violist Eyvind Kang, with live artwork projections by Seattle cartoonist Jim Woodring. In addition, on Saturday, Nov. 9, the School of Music and Earshot Jazz co-present a concert by New York City trumpeter Dave Douglas, with members of the UW Jazz Studies faculty—including newly appointed artist in residence, drummer Ted Poor—and top UW Jazz Studies students.
Faculty Concerts: Join us for an eclectic range of musical styles expertly executed by our stellar performance faculty, including jazz drummer Steve Korn (Oct. 18); pianist Craig Sheppard (Nov. 5); pianist Dainius Vaicekonis (Dec. 8 and April 13); guitarist Michael Partington (Jan. 12); violist Melia Watras (Jan. 13) and jazz pianist Marc Seales (May 8).
Sixty Years Behind Bars: In other faculty performances, Percussion Studies Chair Thomas Collier celebrates the 60th anniversary of his first public performance on April 2 at the Meany Studio Theater, joined by guitarist Larry Coryell, clarinetist Bill Smith, pianist Marc Seales, bassist Dan Dean, and percussionist Emil Richards. This concert is part of Collier's popular, annual Mallethead Series. Other dates on the series are Oct. 29 (with special guests drummer Alex Acuña and pianist Don Grusin) and Feb. 7 (program to be announced).
Beethoven Project Times Two: Maria Larionoff, violin, and Robin McCabe, piano, complete their traversal of the complete Beethoven sonatas for violin and piano with performances on Nov. 17 and April 27 at Brechemin Auditorium. Professor Stephen Rumph introduces each event with a pre-concert lecture.
Larionoff makes a return appearance at the School of Music on May 11 with spouse and UW faculty artist Barry Lieberman and Indiana University faculty violinist Jorja Fleezanis in a concert by the American String Project Chamber Players. This concert of works by Brahms and Dvorak concludes the 2013-14 Barry Lieberman and Friends Series. Other dates are Jan 11 and 12 (Michael Hovnanian, Chicago Symphony) and March 22 and 23 (Dylan Palmer, Vancouver Symphony).
Circle of Friends: This series produced by piano professor Robin McCabe examines the artistic and personal friendships of Clara and Robert Schumann, Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms with performances by numerous top music students and faculty (concerts are Dec. 1, March 9, and May 4). Arrive a half hour early on select dates for pre-concert lectures by music faculty historians George Bozarth (March 9) and Judy Tsou (May 4).
Guest Artist Residency: Bill Preucil, violin: Concertmaster of the Cleveland Symphony, world-renowned violinist and educator Bill Preucil shares his talent and insight with young musicians from the UW and Seattle music communities in three free master classes hosted by School of Music violin professor Ron Patterson April 21-23.
Ethnomusicology Visiting Artists Concert: Gamelan Music, Dance and Shadow Puppet Theater of Java: Visiting artist Heri Purwanto (gamelan musician) and his students are joined by Ki Midiyanto (puppet master), Jessika Kenney (vocalist), Christina Sunardi (dancer), and Gamelan Pacifica on May 20 for this evening of Javanese music, dance, and shadow puppet theater celebrating the UW’s acquisition of its own set of gamelan instruments. Other Visiting Artists concerts are Dec. 3 (Kevin Burke, Irish Fiddle Music) and March 4 (Pablo Rivera, Music of Puerto Rico).
In addition to all of the above, we present dozens of performances by our student bands, choirs, jazz, percussion, and chamber groups, and many more guest artist dates. Refer to our season brochure to view the season in full and check our online events calendar frequently for up-to-the-minute additions to our listings.