LIVE CONCERT SPOTLIGHT: Feb. 27-March 2

by Maggie Molloy

This week’s colorful music calendar has birds, hors d’oeuvres, and science fiction flicks!

Coo, Chirp, Flap, Flutter: Birds in Song

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Sometimes the most beautiful music is found in nature—the gentle pitter-patter of the rain, the soothing sway of the sea, the birds chirping in the trees. We could learn a thing or two from the birds. That’s why this weekend, soprano Sarah Davis and friends are performing an evening of art song and chamber music inspired by nature’s most charming song makers: the birds.

Of course, no two birds are the same, and so the concert features a wide spectrum of musical styles ranging from the blended brushstrokes of Debussy’s Impressionism to the romantic musings of Mahler and the inimitable, avant-garde musical experiments of John Cage. Ralph Vaughan-Williams, Aaron Copland, and Jake Heggie are also on the program, naturally.

The performance is this Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. at the Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.

Seattle Modern Orchestra Benefit Concert

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The earliest orchestras date all the way back to the 16th century—which is precisely why Seattle Modern Orchestra is committed to keeping orchestral music exciting and relevant by catering to contemporary audiences. The group is committed to presenting innovative new music from the 20th and 21st centuries in both traditional concert settings and in nontraditional venues.

This weekend, you can support Seattle Modern Orchestra’s 2014-2015 season by attending a special benefit concert filled with delightful new music, delicious wine and hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction full of exciting prizes. The program features surround-sound performances of solo and chamber music by Robert Platz, Marcin Pączkowski, Luciano Berio, Elliott Carter and more!

The performance is this Saturday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center in Wallingford.

Degenerate Art Ensemble Performing “Metropolis”

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The Oscars may be over, but that doesn’t mean the magical movie music has to end. This upcoming Monday you can watch Degenerate Art Ensemble perform their original orchestral score for “Metropolis,” a 1927 expressionist science-fiction silent film directed by Fritz Lang.

The two and a half hour classic is highly regarded as the first feature-length film of the science-fiction genre, influencing the likes of George Lucas and Ridley Scott. Degenerate Art Ensemble first premiered their score for the film in 1997 to an audience of 10,000 people in Seattle’s Gasworks Park Outdoor Cinema. Now, they are bringing the score back to life and adding an additional 40 minutes to the influential work.

The movie screening with live orchestra is this Monday, March 2 at the Paramount Theatre. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.