March 9, 2006

Harmonic festival begins March 28

The School of Music will present “Harmonic Convergence: From Bach to Hip-Hop,” a 12-day festival (March 28 to April 8) that will feature an array of musicians. Performers include jazz great Howard Levy; cutting-edge composer and performer DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain); “La Guitara” guitarists Sharon Isbin, Patty Larkin and Kaki King; drummer Paul Wertico; and a “monster” marimba orchestra. The events are open to the public and will include master classes and lectures. Ticket information is available at www.pickstaiger.com.

The spring 2006 festival begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall with a special performance of Olivier Messiaen’s apocalypse-inspired “Quartet for the End of Time.” This eight-movement masterpiece will be performed by faculty members from four American music schools: Northwestern University clarinetist Steven Cohen, University of Louisville violinist J. Patrick Rafferty, University of Alabama cellist Carlton McCreery and Oberlin Conservatory of Music pianist James Howsmon.

Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist Sharon Isbin will share her expertise during a two-hour guitar master class at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29, at Regenstein Recital Hall. The master class is free.

At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, Isbin will join innovative singer-songwriter legend Patty Larkin and 25-year-old guitar revolutionary Kaki King for a concert of solos, duets and trios. All three are members of “La Guitara,” a unique artistic collaboration that explores and celebrates the contributions of women to the evolution of modern guitar playing. Their tour coincides with Vanguard Records’ release of the eponymous compilation compact disc “La Guitara: Gender Bending Strings,” featuring a roster of 14 multi-genre, international women guitarists.

Renowned performers and instrument makers Howard Levy, Joe Filisko and Austria’s Franz Chmel will present a free and public harmonica master class at 4 p.m. Friday, March 31, at Regenstein Recital Hall.

This exploration of harmonica styles and historical overview precedes their 7:30 p.m. “Harmonica Convergence” performance at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The program will celebrate Chicago’s historical connections to jazz, blues, classical and popular harmonica styles. Levy, Filisko and Chmel will be joined by the Harmonicats-inspired Windy City Harmonica Trio and legendary Chicago blues master Billy Branch and his band, The Sons of Blues.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1, in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, a 40-piece saxophone orchestra including School of Music faculty, students and alumni will perform a program celebrating the saxophone’s 165th birthday. The “Monster Saxophone Concert” will include performances of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” featuring Naumberg Award-winning pianist Anthony Molinaro, as well as Bartók’s “Concerto for Orchestra” and Bernstein’s “Candide” Overture. The program features the Chicago Saxophone Quartet, composer-saxophonist Jim Gailloreto and his jazz string quartet, and a collection of rare saxophones including the 6’ 8” contrabass saxophone (the world’s largest).

The festival continues Thursday, April 6, at Pick-Staiger.

For a complete schedule, and to order tickets, call (847) 467-4000 or go to www.pickstaiger.com.