Gloria Cheng – Root Progressions

Gloria Cheng presents Root Progressions featuring premieres of six solo piano commissions from six acclaimed jazz composers: Linda May Han Oh, Jon Jang, Arturo O’Farrill, Anthony Davis, James Newton and Gernot Wolfgang, all celebrated trailblazers representing various streams of global contemporary classical composition and forward-looking jazz. This program is a co-production with the Angel City Jazz Festival, and will feature solo sets by pianist Cheng, as well as duo sets led by composer/guest performers Linda May Han Oh and Jon Jang. Concert at Zipper Hall

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Ray-Kallay: Inflection Point

Californians! Some pass through – others put down roots and stay. Some write in microtones and others for electronics and toy pianos. There are minimalists and maximalists. Celebrating Californians past and present Ray/Kallay explores the rich tapestry of composers who have called California home with works by Michael Byron, John Luther Adams (with video by Johannes Bosgra), Joao Pedro Oliveira, Rand Steiger, Nina Shekhar, Sean Friar, Veronika Krausas and Karen Tanaka. This concert takes place at 2220 Arts + Archives as part of LA Philharmonic’s California Festival.

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Althea Waites – Momentum: Time and Space

Althea Waites is a local legend, and Piano Spheres’ Stein Resident Artist for 2023/24. Presented the day after Martin Luther King Day, Althea’s concert is inspired by a treasure trove of recently discovered music by Margaret Bonds, an African-American composer rendered unknown for many years until Althea’s landmark recording Black Diamonds in 1993. Her program will also include works by other composers whose music draws inspiration from social justice. This concert will take place at the beautiful new Nimoy Theater in Westwood, and is a co-production with CAP UCLA.

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Vicki Ray – Nacht und Traume

Pianist Vicki Ray presents Nacht und Träume – an evening that explores liminal states of consciousness through the music of Cage, Schubert, Rzewski and Berg alongside new works by Rachel Beetz, Andrew McIntosh, Noah Meites and Bill Alves. Using four different keyboards, Ray – with guest soprano Elissa Johnston – will probe the territories of night and dreams using prepared piano, synthesizer, retuned piano with video and an acoustic instrument.

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Genevieve Feiwen Lee – La Voix du Pianiste

Guest pianist Genevieve Feiwen Lee will present La Voix du Pianiste or Voice of the Pianist.  Genevieve will present a program that features speaking and singing with keyboards.  Performing on piano, toy piano, harpsichord, and other percussion instruments, Genevieve will be utilizing her voice in three languages.  Works will include world premieres by Chris Castro and Livia Malossi Bottignole, plus Gao Ping’s Daydreams, and Kurt Rohde’s Famous Last Words for speaking keyboard player and assorted items.

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Aron Kallay – The Blur of Time and Memory

Alternate Tunings. Past. Future. Perfect. Imperfect. Equal temperament broke the world. This concert will fix it. Including works by Alexander Elliott Miller, Isaac Schankler, and Ben Johnston. with a new work for solo synthesizer by Matthew Brown and a new chamber concerto for retuned piano and American Gamelan by Akshaya Avril Tucker. Featuring guest ensemble Gamelan Light Streams.

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2023-24 Emerging Artists

Emerging Artists are talented young pianists, guided by Piano Spheres’ Core Artists to present their own public recitals and workshops at Thayer Hall, Colburn School. Each artist will commission a new work from a local composer to present a world premiere. This year’s Emerging Artists are pianists Katelyn Vahala and Ashley Zhang. Each will commission a new work from a local composer and work with their mentor and composer to present a world premiere.

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HOCKET – Photoplay Music: New works for the Silent Film Era

New works for the Silent Film Era HOCKET revives the silent film era with their new project Photoplay Music: New works for the Silent Film Era, a cinematic concert experience. Featuring icons of French Surrealist Silent Film, Photoplay Music features newly commissioned works for three classic films by some of today’s most innovative composers Ian Dicke, José Martínez, and Gemma Peacocke. Harkening back to the early days of Hollywood when a pianist accompanied every silent film screening, HOCKET will use two pianos and a myriad of other instruments including toy pianos, melodicas, electronics and more to highlight these new film scores.

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