The first concert of Zeitgeist's season is happening this weekend at Studio Z, and I'm especially excited about these concerts because we will be performing a piece that I've wanted to bring to the Twin Cities for a very long time:Apprehensions for clarinet, voice, and piano by Shulamit Ran, based on a poem Sylvia Plath. I had the great fortune to work with Shulamit some years ago, and at her composer talk she played a recording of this piece. It blew me away instantly, and I've been wanting to perform it ever since. It is a brilliant work, full of drama and intensity. Joining me on the piece are two fabulous guests: pianist Solange Guillaume and soprano Carrie Henneman Shaw, who are both doing an amazing job with the score. This is a performance not to be missed!
Shulamit's piece will be beautifully balanced by Nattsanger, also for soprano, clarinet, and piano by Minnesota's own Abbie Betinis. This is a gorgeous setting of some wonderfully rich and mysterious poems about night time and darkness by Norwegian poet Rolf Jacobsen.
Rounding out the program will be two exciting pieces for the percussive side of our group: Echoes Fantasy by Iowa composer Christopher Hopkins, and Music for Cajon and Electronics by computer wizard Cort Lippe.
The performances are this Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, Sept. 26-28 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $10 on Thursday and Friday, and $20 on Saturday for a special donors event, including a pre-concert talk by local poet John Minceszki.
It is an exciting and eclectic program that we are eager to bring to the public. I hope you can join us!
--Pat O'Keefe
Zeitgeist: New Music Harvest
Sept. 26-28, 7:30 p.m.
Studio Z: 275 E. Fourth Street, Suite 200, St. Paul
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