The contemporary chamber music sextet from Chicago, eighth blackbird, will participate in the forum Pierrot Plus – the New Music Orchestra, held in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts at 3 p.m. April 1. A concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Paul R. and Margery Wolf Kuhn Theatre of the Center.
The Chicago-Sun Times wrote that, “The altogether brilliant and fearless young sextet that champions both modern music and dramatic experimentation” combines the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band, and the audacity of a storefront theater company. The sextet features clarinetist Michael Maccaferri, flutist Tim Munro, violinist and violist Yvonne Lam, percussionist Matthew Duvall, pianist Lisa Kaplan and cellist Nicholas Photinos.
The concert is scheduled to include “Counting Duets/Etudes” by Tom Johnson and György Ligeti, arranged by Kaplan and Munro; “Doublespeak” by Nico Muhly; “Songs of Love and Loss,” including “Duet for Heart and Breath by Richard Reed Parry; “Lamento della Ninfa” by Claudio Monteverdi, arrangement by Munro; “Moro, lasso al mio duolo” by Carlo Gesualdo, arranged by Munro; and “Babys” by Bon Iver, arranged by Kaplan.
The Altoona event is part of the Center for the Performing Arts Classical Music Project, now in its fourth season. The project, supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, provides opportunities to engage students, faculty and the community with classical music artists and programs. Takács Quartet, American Brass Quintet, pianist Christopher O’Riley and cellist Matt Haimovitz, and Brentano String Quartet have all appeared at Penn State Altoona as part of the project. Learn more at http://cmp.psu.edu.
Tickets are free, but are required for the evening concert and are available at the Misciagna Box Office, Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–2 p.m., or at the door. Free parking is available after 3 p.m. in the Misciagna lot. For more information, call the box office at 814-949-5452.