2006-2007 SEASON

Open Streams: Wilderness Songs

August 22 & 23, 2006
Kananaskis Country

New Works Calgary presents something refreshing on the side – cutting-edge, bold, visually dramatic, technically dazzling, breathtakingly beautiful and spirited new works by emerging composers and artists. Open Streams was created to give emerging composers the opportunity to explore different environments and how these different environments affect sound. Wilderness Songs takes place in Kananaskis Country over two days and places music in a free and natural environment. Here composers will create music which takes advantage of the natural environment and its effect on sound.

Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal

 

October 11, 2006
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Calgary Campus

The 10-member Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal directed by Véronique Lacroix, will present their Generation 2006 concert, featuring new works by young Canadian composers written for 10 instruments (flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello and double bass) as well as live electronics. The premiere of Pulse, by emerging Calgarian composer Shelley Marwood, will be included on the program.

 

 

St. Crispin’s Ensemble

November 3, 2006
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Calgary Campus

Saint Crispin's is a collective of about a dozen of the best classical players in Edmonton, from whom clarinetist Don Ross will draw a smaller group to play a program featuring a live, partially improvised soundtrack to short silent films, as well as extensive use of electronic signal processing. A commission by Michael Horwood will be performed, as well as new and commissioned works from both Edmonton and Calgary composers.

Ensemble Resonance

February 1, 2007
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Calgary Campus

The Ensemble Resonance consists of accomplished Calgary performers Stan Climie (clarinet), Gemira McClary (voice), Rachel Kristenson (violin) and Colleen Athparia (piano). They will present an eclectic mix of works, featuring world premières by Calgary composer Kristin Flores, and Lethbridge composer Arlan Schultz.

Borealis String Quartet

March 3, 2007
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Calgary Campus

The Borealis String Quartet has established itself as an ensemble praised for its dynamic performances, passionate style, and refined musical interpretation. Performing to critical acclaim in concert halls all across Canada, their programme will include Quartet #3 by well-known Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer, Behind the Red Door by Calgarian Arthur Bachmann, and other Canadian works.

 

Tiresia

Saturday May 12, 2007
Scarboro United Church

The flute/piano duo Tiresias was formed by flutist Mark Takeshi McGregor and pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa in 2002. A blind seer from Greek mythology, Tiresias was transformed from man to woman and back again by supernatural means. S/he symbolizes what McGregor and Iwaasa have set out to accomplish: to speak from two very different perspectives with a single voice, to provide fresh perspectives and insights into conventional chamber music programmes, and to anticipate the future trajectories of the chamber music genre through working with composers and artists from various disciplines.

 

Open Streams: Wilderness Songs

August, 2007
Kanaskis Country

Open Streams was created to give emerging composers the opportunity to explore the movement and perception of sound in various environments. Wilderness Songs takes place in Kananaskis Country over two days, placing music in a free and natural setting. Several works by local composers will be premiered.

 

2007-2008 SEASON

Trio Fibonacci

October 30, 2007
Rozsa Centre

The Trio Fibonacci (Julie-Anne Derome, violin; Gabriel Prynn, cello and Jacynthe Riverin, piano) was formed in 1998 and distinguishes itself by its inspired and virtuosic interpretations of contemporary repertoire of which it is one of the only defenders in the Piano Trio medium. Many of Canada's finest composers have dedicated works to the group. This concert will feature new works by Allan Bell and David Eagle, along with works by Serge Provost, Ana Sokolovic and Chris Harman.

 

Ensemble Resonance

January 21, 2008
Rozsa Centre

Feminine Endings II

March 14, 2008 - 8pm
Rozsa Centre

Does music have a gender? This concert features new works by a wide spectrum of talented Calgary women composers: Helve Sastok, Kristin Flores, Roberta Stephen, Sonya Guha-Thakurta, Irene Johansen, Hope Lee, and Veronica Tapia. Many pieces will include newly choreographed dance sequences. The musical performers will be the Lily Quartet (Diane Lane, Rachel Kristenson, violins, Patricia Higgins, viola and Andrea Case, cello) with Colleen Athparia (piano) and special guest, Canadian accordionist Joseph Macerollo.

 

Voices

April 25, 2008
Rozsa Centre

 

The final concert of the New Works Calgary Season will be a unique exploration of the Canadian Multiculturalism “voice” as we seek to explore art through three very distinct cultural voices. This concert will bring together Parmela Attariwala, a violinist/dancer from an East Indian background from Toronto, Sarah Laakkuluk Williamson, an Inuit throat singer/ story teller/ dancer from Iqaluit, and dancers exploring movement using Japanese Botoh dance techniques. This concert will present each cultural voice independently and then in combination. The final result as these three very distinct cultural voices come together will not only be a highlight of the concert but of the 07-08 season as we seek to explore and present a variety of “voices” some of which at times were suppressed and unheard.

Open Streams: Urban Maze

May, 2008
Rozsa Centre

Urban Maze will explore how concrete walls have taken the place of trees and grass, and how wide open spaces have given way to concrete mazes; mazes in which we often find ourselves trapped. Emerging composers have been asked to create music which makes use of how our concrete world not only affects us as people but how it effects sound and music.

 

2008-2009 SEASON

...and the masks evoke...
Visions from Canada and Ukraine

September 22, 2008
Rozsa Centre

Chan Ka Nin's ... and the masks evoke ... a hauntingly beautiful multimedia work based on Haida culture, the world première of William Jordan’s Owl Song and Alberta premières of works by Canada’s Kelly-Marie Murphy and Heather Schmidt, and Ukrainian composers Valentin Silvestrov and Bohdana Frolyak.

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

November 11, 2008
Rozsa Centre

Pianist Corey Hamm performs Rzewski’s masterpiece. Frederic Rzewski’s 36 Variations on the Chilean Revolutionary Song “El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido!” The People United Will Never Be Defeated! by Chilean composer Sergio Ortega. Many consider it to be a masterpiece in the line of Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. Also Michel Gonneville’s Chute/Parachute and Michael Tenzer’s Etude and Invention.

 

Debut: The Rubbing Stone Ensemble University of Calgary “Happening” New Music Festival

January 26, 2009
Rozsa Centre

World premières of four new works especially composed for Rubbing Stone by Laurie Radford, Shelley Marwood, Anthony Tan and Veronica Tapia; the Alberta première of Abigail Richardson’s prize-winning work Dissolve for piano, percussion and harp, featuring harpist Giannetta Baril, virtuosic solo and chamber works by Mario Davidovsky, Edison Denisov, Hope Lee, and Javier Alvarez’s stunning Temazcal for solo maracas and soundfile.

 

Sonic Strata: New Works Calgary 25th Anniversary Gala Concert