A home for new and unusual music from all corners of the classical genre, brought to you by the power of public media. Second Inversion is a service of Classical KING FM 98.1.
Soprano Estelí Gomez performs with Seattle Pro Musica on May 18 and 19.
You may know Estelí Gomez as the soaring soprano of the
Grammy-winning vocal troupe Roomful of Teeth. She’s also a globe-trotting
soloist, performing alongside collaborators ranging from the Seattle Symphony
to Yo-Yo Ma and his Silk Road Ensemble.
This weekend, she’s in town as a soloist performing alongside
the singers of Seattle Pro Musica. The concert is Passion and Resurrection, titled
after the program’s centerpiece by Ēriks Ešenvalds. A dramatic masterwork for
choir, soprano soloist, and string orchestra, the piece is unique in
highlighting the voice of Mary Magdalene as the female soloist and narrator. The
program also includes Frank Martin’s luminous Mass for Double Choir and
the world premiere of Panta rhei, a new work by Seattle Pro Musica’s
conductor, Karen P. Thomas.
In this interview, we talk with
Gomez about her study of wide-ranging vocal traditions, the musical intricacies
of Ēriks Ešenvalds, and the value of the human voice.
Music in this interview from Karen P. Thomas’s Panta rhei. Audio production by Dacia Clay.
Estelí Gomez and Seattle Pro Musica perform Passion and Resurrection on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19 at 8pm at St. James Cathedral. For tickets and more information, please click here.
Second Inversion and theLive Music Project create a monthly calendar featuring contemporary classical, cross-genre, and experimental performances in Seattle, the Eastside, Tacoma, and places in between!
Keep an eye out for our this flyer in concert programs and coffee shops around town. Feel free to download, print, and distribute it yourself! If you’d like to be included on this list, submit your event to the Live Music Project at least 6 weeks prior to the event and tag it with “new music.”
Wayward Music Series Concerts of contemporary composition, free improvisation, electroacoustic music, and sonic experiments. This month: avant-garde piano solos, Eastern-European cimbalom songs, a dark ambient memorial, and more. Various days, 7:30/8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
Live Music Project: 4th Annual Lecture-Concert The Live Music Project celebrates its 4th birthday with a scintillating lecture from a cyborg, a centuries-spanning solo violin performance by Mikhail Shmidt of the Seattle Symphony, a ticket giveaway, and the most adorable cupcake toast this side of the Cascades. Tues, 5/1, 6:30pm, Naked City Brewery & Taphouse | $30
DXARTS: Points vs. Fields UW School of Music faculty performers Cuong Vu, Ted Poor, Richard Karpen, and Juan Pampin perform an ephemeral new improvisation for trumpet, drums, piano, and live electronics, programmed alongside Bernard Permegiani’s classic exploration of the meaning of sound itself, De Natura Sonorum for loudspeaker orchestra. Tues, 5/1, 7:30pm, Meany Theater | $10-$15
Emerald City Music: Metamorphosis A season-long celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial ends with a special multimedia feature on the iconic conductor, plus performances of two composers whose work he championed during his lifetime: Strauss and Beethoven. Fri, 5/4, 8pm, 415 Westalve Ave, Seattle | $40-45 Sat, 5/5, 7:30pm, Evergreen State College Recital Hall, Olympia | $23-$43
Matt Shoemaker Memorial Concert Longtime friends and collaborators of the late Matt Shoemaker perform works in his honor ranging from experimental noise to sound art, dark ambient, and beyond. Sat, 5/5, 7pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
Town Music: JACK Quartet with Joshua Roman Cellist Joshua Roman joins forces with the JACK Quartet to perform his new piece Tornado, inspired by his roots in Oklahoma. Works by Jefferson Friedman, John Zorn, Amy Williams, and Carlo Gesualdo complete the program. Thurs, 5/10, 7:30pm, Seattle First Baptist Church | $15-$20
Harry Partch Festival Experience the handmade microtonal instruments of Harry Partch in this sprawling three-day music festival featuring new works composed for Partch’s instruments, as well as rarely-performed works from the composer’s archives. Master classes, demonstrations, and lectures, complete this homage to a uniquely American artist. Fri-Sun, 5/11-5/13, Various times, Meany Theater | $10-$60
Portland Cello Project Equally at home in rock clubs and concert halls, Portland Cello Project reimagines classical favorites and contemporary hits alike for their famous choir of cellos. Expect everything from Bach to Coltrane to Radiohead. Tues, 5/15, 7:30pm, The Triple Door | $26-$35
Seattle Art Museum: John Cage’s Themes and Variations John Cage is best known as one of the leading figures of the 20th century avant-garde in music—but much of his work crossed boundaries into performance art, theatre, and even visual art. His sculpture Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel recently joined the Seattle Art Museum’s collection. Learn more about his contributions to both art and music in this conversation with curators Catharina Manchanda and Carrie Dedon. Wed, 5/16, 6:30pm, Seattle Art Museum | $10
Peter Nelson-King: Post Avant-Garde Multi-instrumentalist and modern music rabble-rouser Peter Nelson-King presents an eclectic program of individualist piano music from the 1980s, featuring works by Robert Beaser, George Benjamin, Peter Sculthorpe, John Tavener, Augusta Read Thomas, Charles Wuorinen, and more. Thurs, 5/17, 8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
Seattle Pro Musica: Sacred Ground Explore the intersections of music, spirituality, and the natural world in this program of nature-inspired works by Tõnu Kõrvits, Hyo-Won Woo, and Healey Willan. Fri, 5/18, 8pm, St. James Cathedral | $12-$38 Sat, 5/19, 8pm, St. James Cathedral | $12-$38
Nat Evans: Flyover Country Composer and interdisciplinary artist Nat Evans uses his family history across the last three centuries as a lens to look at ecological destruction, genocide of indigenous people, capitalism, and food systems in the United States. Sat-Sun, 5/19-5/20, 8pm, The Grocery | $5-$20
Mostly Nordic: Finlandia The Emerald Ensemble perform Jean Sibelius’s beloved hymn to Finland alongside 20th century works by Finnish composers Einojuhani Rautavaara, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, and more. Sun, 5/20, 4pm, Nordic Museum | $25
Music of Remembrance: Gaman A world premiere by composer Christophe Chagnard explores the experience of Japanese immigrants who were forced into internment camps in the wake of the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Combining traditional Japanese and classical Western instruments, the piece brings a powerful story to life through the words and images created by three artists and poets during their captivity in the Minidoka camp. Sun, 5/20, 5pm, Nordstrom Recital Hall | $30-$45
The Westerlies Far from your typical brass band, this Seattle-bred, New York-based quartet is known on both coasts for their bold artistry, impeccable finesse, eclectic musical interpretations, and remarkable versatility. The band returns to the West this month for a one-night-only performance in Seattle. Wed, 5/23, 7:30pm, The Royal Room | $5-$15
Frequency with Yura Lee: Dialogues Guest violinist Yura Lee joins members of Frequency (violinist Michael Jinsoo Lim, violist Melia Watras, and cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir) for duos by Berio, Maderna, Ravel, and Watras. Also on the program is Dohnányi’s Serenade for string trio. Sun, 5/27, 7:30pm, Meany Theater | $10-$20
Second Inversion and theLive Music Project create a monthly calendar featuring contemporary classical, cross-genre, and experimental performances in Seattle, the Eastside, Tacoma, and places in between!
Keep an eye out for our this flyer in concert programs and coffee shops around town. Feel free to download, print, and distribute it yourself! If you’d like to be included on this list, submit your event to the Live Music Project at least 6 weeks prior to the event and tag it with “new music.”
Wayward Music Series Concerts of contemporary composition, free improvisation, electroacoustic music, and sonic experiments. This month: sonic cinema, 12-tone touch guitar, microtonal MIDI, and pantonal piano poetry. Various days, 7:30/8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
UW Modern Music Ensemble: Ludovic Morlot and Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir Ludovic Morlot leads the UW Modern Music Ensemble in a program of contemporary French works, including Tristan Murail’s spectral masterpiece Le Lac and the U.S. premiere of Betsy Jolas’ Wanderlied, with cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir as the soloist. Two of Morlot’s students conduct works by Pierre Boulez and Marc-André Dalbavie. Thurs, 3/1, 7:30pm, Meany Theater | $10
On the Boards: ‘On Loving the Muse and Family’ Seattle bassist and composer Evan Flory-Barnes presents an evening of original music inspired by the late-night variety shows of the ’50s and ’60s, featuring performances with musicians from the True Loves, the Seattle Girls Choir, Industrial Revelation, the Teaching, and a full chamber orchestra. Thurs-Sat, 3/1-3/3, 8pm, On the Boards | $15-$30 Sun, 3/4, 5pm, On the Boards |$15-$30
The Tudor Choir: Nico Muhly World Premiere Cappella Romana presents the Tudor Choir performing the world premiere of Nico Muhly’s Small Raine, inspired by the same ancient English tune as another piece on the program: John Taverner’s 16th-century Western Wind Mass. Fri, 3/2, 8pm, St. Mark’s Cathedral | $39-$49
Sound of Late: Book of the Dark Amidst a program ranging from Arvo Pärt’s mystical minimalism to Ruth Crawford Seeger’s grittily angular music, Sound of Late unveils the world premiere of Book of the Dark by American composer Alan Shockley. Sat, 3/3, 8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $15
Second Inversion Women’s Day Marathon Celebrate International Women’s Day with Second Inversion’s 24 hour marathon of new and experimental music by women composers. Tune in all day on March 8 to hear works by over 100 women who have helped shape, inspire, and expand the world of classical music, including Meredith Monk, Laura Kaminsky, Du Yun, Angélica Negrón, and many more.
Town Music: Roomful of Teeth Experimental a cappella ensemble Roomful of Teeth combines yodeling, Broadway belting, Inuit throat singing, and other vocal traditions from around the world to craft a program of thrilling soundscapes that challenge traditional notions of vocal music. Fri, 3/9, 7:30pm, Seattle First Baptist Church | $15-$20
TORCH: CD Release Concert Contemporary chamber ensemble TORCH releases their first full-length album with a concert featuring the varied and vibrant sounds of their composer collective. Sat, 3/10, 7:30pm, Alhadeff Studio at Cornish Playhouse | $10-$15
Women Who Score: HerStory In honor of International Women’s Day weekend, HerStory celebrates some of music history’s most prolific and influential women composers with a performance of music by Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Louise Farrenc, and Libby Larsen. This special preview concert benefits the Women Who Score’s inaugural season in the Fall of 2018. Sun, 3/11, 7pm, Nordstrom Recital Hall | $37
Pacific Northwest Ballet: Director’s Choice PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal’s annual selection promises modern and experimental music paired with bold, beautiful choreography. PNB dancers perform to music by Francis Poulenc, Richard Einhorn, Gavin Bryars, and Thom Willems. 3/16-3/25, Various times, McCaw Hall | $37-$187
Seattle Pro Musica: Sounds & Sweet Airs As part of a citywide celebration of William Shakespeare, Seattle Pro Musica performs choral settings of poetry and prose by the Bard of Avon—including world premieres from Northwest composers Jessica French, Don Skirvin, and Giselle Wyers. Sat, 3/17, 7:30pm, Seattle First Baptist Church | $12-$28
Emerald City Music: In Blue… Journey to the American South with this concert exploring the influence of blues music on American composers. Hear George Gershwin’s timeless Rhapsody in Blue performed on two pianos alongside music by Leonard Bernstein, Frederic Rzewski, and more. Fri, 3/23, 8pm, 415 Westlake Ave (Seattle) | $45 Sat, 3/24, 7:30pm, The Minnaert Center (Olympia) | $10-$43
Baltic Centennial: 100 Years of Statehood Seattle Choral Company, the Mägi Baltic Ensemble, and other Seattle choirs come together to celebrate 100 years of independence for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in a concert featuring 20th and 21st century music from the leading composers of the Baltic states. Sat, 3/24, 8pm, St. Mark’s Cathedral | $5-$25
Messiaen’s ‘Quartet for the End of Time’ Composed in 1941 while captive in a Nazi prisoner of war camp, Olivier Messiaen’s sublime Quartet for the End of Time is one of the great masterpieces of the 20th century and a deeply spiritual work contemplating faith, time, and love. It is performed by Seattle new music luminaries Luke Fitzpatrick, Rose Bellini, James Falzone, and Jesse Myers. Sun, 3/25, 2pm, St. Mark’s Cathedral | $15-$20
Deceptive Cadence: Celebrating Paul Taub’s 38 Years at Cornish In celebration of Paul Taub’s decades-long career at Cornish, the flutist performs a program of 21st century works, including music by his late Cornish colleague Bern Herbolsheimer as well as a newly commissioned piece by alumna Beth Fleenor. Sun, 3/25, 7pm, PONCHO Concert Hall | $5-$10
Seattle Symphony: John Luther Adams ‘Become Desert’ Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams created an entire sea of sound with his illustrious Become Ocean, which received its world premiere at the Seattle Symphony in 2013. Now he’s back with a sequel: Become Desert. Thurs, 3/29, 7:30pm, Benaroya Hall | $22-$122 Sat, 3/31, 8pm, Benaroya Hall | $22-$122
Second Inversion and theLive Music Project create a monthly calendar featuring contemporary classical, cross-genre, and experimental performances in Seattle, the Eastside, Tacoma, and places in between!
Keep an eye out for our this flyer in concert programs and coffee shops around town. Feel free to download, print, and distribute it yourself! If you’d like to be included on this list, submit your event to the Live Music Project at least 6 weeks prior to the event and tag it with “new music.”
Racer Sessions A weekly showcase of original music with a jam session based on the concepts in the opening presentation. Every Sunday, 8-10pm, Cafe Racer | FREE
Wayward Music Series Concerts of contemporary composition, free improvisation, electronic/electroacoustic music, and sonic experiments. This month: saxophone sextets, prepared guitar improvisations, music for speaking pianist, and more. Various days, 7:30/8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
Untouchable Numbers: Celebrating John Cage In celebration of what would have been John Cage’s 105th birthday, Seattle’s Ace Hotel hosts a 24-hour marathon of his music in the lobby. Tues, 9/5, all day, Ace Hotel Seattle | FREE
Opera on Tap Local singers let their hair down and sing their hearts out, performing famous operatic masterpieces and hidden musical gems alike in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Tues, 9/5, 7:30pm, High Dive Seattle | $5-$8
Seattle Symphony: ‘Star Trek Beyond’ The Seattle Symphony busts out the big screen for a live performance of Star Trek Beyond featuring Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s soaring new orchestral score. Wed, 9/13, 7:30pm, Benaroya Hall | $45-$120
Emerald City Music: Not Even the Wind… Emerald City Music kicks off their second season with a John Luther Adams world premiere inspired by the Sonoran Desert. Chamber works by Bernstein, Norman, Reich, and Dvořák round out the program. Fri, 9/15, 8pm, 415 Westlake Ave, Seattle | $45 Sat, 9/16, 7:30pm, The Washington Center, Olympia | $28-$43
Seattle New Music Happy Hour Second Inversion and The Live Music Project host a happy hour for musicians, new music enthusiasts, and curious bystanders alike to come together and expand Seattle’s ever-growing network of artists and musicians. Tues, 9/19, 5:30pm, Queen Anne Beerhall | Free; Food & drink available for purchase
Celebrating the Life and Songs of Bern Herbolsheimer Seattle Art Song Society pays tribute to the late Bern Herbolsheimer with a recital featuring vocal works by the celebrated Seattle composer. Sat, 9/23, 7:30pm, Queen Anne Christian Church | $20-$30
Seattle Classic Guitar Society: Matt Palmer Guitarist Matt Palmer presents an evening of music by composers from Russia, Brazil, and beyond, including Sergey Rudnev, Olga Amelkina-Vera, Konstantin Vassiliev, Dilermando Reis, and more. Sat, 9/23, 7:30pm, Nordstrom Recital Hall | $28-$38
New Music for Singing/Speaking Percussionists Percussionists Bonnie Whiting and Jennifer Torrence perform an evening of world premieres for speaking and singing percussionists, including music for crash cymbals, resonant feedback, small electronic toys, deconstructed language, and more. Plus, an improvisation with DXARTS professor Afroditi Psarra featuring her signature wearable electronics and embroidered synthesizers. Wed, 9/27, 7:30pm, Meany Studio Theater | $10-$20
Chris Botti with the Seattle Symphony Grammy Award winner and pop-jazz powerhouse Chris Botti brings his trumpet and his acclaimed band to Benaroya Hall to perform with the Seattle Symphony. Fri, 9/29, 8pm, Benaroya Hall | $65-$105 Sat, 9/30, 8pm, Benaroya Hall | $65-$105 Sun, 10/1, 2pm, Benaroya Hall | $65-$105
Seattle Pro Musica: Rearranged Seattle Pro Musica lends their classically-trained voices to Broadway choruses and cabaret solos in this lively evening of show tunes at the Triple Door. Fri, 9/29, 7:30pm, The Triple Door | $25-$49 Fri, 9/29, 9:15pm, The Triple Door | $25-$49
On Stage with KING FM: Seattle Marimba Quartet Seattle Marimba Quartet performs a program of modern marimba repertoire from the 20th and 21st centuries, plus marimba arrangements of music by the likes of Bach, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, and more. Sat, 9/30, 7:30pm, Resonance at SOMA Towers | $20-$25
Second Inversion and theLive Music Project create a monthly calendar featuring contemporary classical, cross-genre, and experimental performances in Seattle, the Eastside, Tacoma, and places in between!
Keep an eye out for our this flyer in concert programs and coffee shops around town. Feel free to download, print, and distribute it yourself! If you’d like to be included on this list, submit your event to the Live Music Project at least 6 weeks prior to the event and be sure to tag it with “new music.”
Racer Sessions A weekly showcase of original music with a jam session based on the concepts in the opening presentation. Every Sunday, 8-10pm, Cafe Racer | FREE
Wayward Music Series Concerts of contemporary composition, free improvisation, electronic/electroacoustic music, & more. Various days, 7:30/8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15 waywardmusic.org (check website for complete listings)
4 Ancora presents Wild! With Skyros Quartet Aimee Mell leads a program of works by Randall Thompson, Ola Gjeilo, Sarah Quartel, Joan Szymko, Dan Forrest, and Jackson Berkey. Sat, 2/4, 7:30pm, Trinity Lutheran Church | $11-$16
4 Seattle Music Exchange Pianist Angelo Rondello will perform works by Seattle composers Samuel Jones, Peter V. Stevens, Angelique Poteat, Adam Haws, & Benjamin Salman. Sat, 2/4, 8pm, Nordstrom Recital Hall | $20-$42
4 Seattle Rock Orchestra performs The Police SRO shakes out hits like ‘Roxanne,’ ‘Message In A Bottle,’ ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me,’ and ‘Every Breath You Take.’ Sat, 2/4, 8pm, Kirkland Performance Center | $40
10 Solaris Vocal Ensemble with Seattle Modern Orchestra SMO collaborates with UW’s Solaris Vocal Ensemble in a unique performance of Julia Wolfe’s Thirst and works by Dempster and Erickson. Fri, 2/10, 7:30pm, Meany Studio Theater | $10-$20
12 Andrew Joslyn & the Passenger String Quartet Violinist, composer, and arranger Andrew Joslyn presents an afternoon of music with The Passenger String Quartet. Sun, 2/12, 4pm, Bainbridge Waterfront Community Center | $5-$20
12 Adagio: The Music of Arvo Pärt An evening of music from Estonian composer Arvo Pärt where the spirit of early music meets ultra-spare modern minimalism in a meditative, intimate setting. Sun, 2/12, 7pm, On the Boards | $20
17 Cornish Presents: Jesse Myers Pianist Jesse Myers brings John Cage’s prepared piano music to the stage on which the instrument was born. Fri, 2/17, 8pm, PONCHO Concert Hall | $10-$20
17 Inverted Space: Composers Concert Inverted Space presents a concert of new works featuring the music of Adrian Swan, Charles Corey, Anna Stachurska, & Jacob Sundstrom. Fri, 2/17, 8pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
18 Lake Union Civic Orchestra: Temptation Baritone Charles Robert Stephens performs music by Seattle composer and pianist Jeffrey Moidel. Works by Milhaud and Shostakovich round out the program. Sat, 2/18, 7:30pm, Center for Spiritual Living | $15-$20
18 Wayward Music Series: Melanie Voytovich Percussionist Melanie Voytovich and friends bring you a night of new work featuring Storm Benjamin, Scott Langdon, Maggie Brown, Brad Hawkins, and Ella Maher (dance). Sat, 2/18, 7:30pm, Good Shepherd Chapel | $5-$15
18-19 NOCCO: Resonance: Celebrating Black American Composers Hear a newly commissioned work by Hanna Benn & performance artist Davida Ingram and works by Scott Joplin & George Walker. Sat, 2/18, 2pm, New Holly Gathering Hall | $15-$30 (under 18 FREE) Sun, 2/19, 7:30pm, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute | $15-$30 (under 18 FREE)
24 Melia Watras: 26 Album Release UW faculty violist Melia Watras performs selections from 26, her newly released CD on Sono Luminus, with a video presentation and commentary. Fri, 2/24, 7:30pm, Brechemin Auditorium | FREE
25-26 Seattle Pro Musica: Chichester Psalms Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms is paired with James MacMillan’s Cantos sagrados, both exploring the desire of humankind to seek social justice and peace. Sat, 2/25, 8pm, St. James Cathedral | $12-$38
