Side by Side fest pairs eclectic music genres
One and one make two, right? But Northwestern University’s Spring 2013 Festival, “Side by Side: Exploring Musical Connections,” has juxtaposed a variety of performers to create unusual pairings that defy the numbers.
A series of seven concerts will be held from April 2-13 in Pick-Staiger Concert Hall on NU’s Evanston campus. There will also be two master classes in adjacent Regenstein Recital Hall.
The series begins at 7:30 p.m. April 2 with “Tell Me Something Good,” a concert by post-classical string quartet ETHEL with rocker Todd Rundgren.
“We chose the name ETHEL because it didn’t mean anything,” said violist Ralph Farris. “That way we could keep our world inviting and open to everything. We love doing the unexpected.”
“Todd Rundgren is a very dear friend to us,” he continued. “He has played with everyone and he has his own fans who come to hear him. We’re having fun preparing for this program.”
Farris has arranged “Spiegel im Spiegel,” written by Estonian composer Arvo Part in 1978, and the program will be inspired by music from the 1970s.
Additional pieces include “Octet” composed in 1979 by Judd Greenstein, selections from Lou Harrison’s “Quartet Set” and Rundgren songs, such as “I Saw the Light,” “Flamingo,” “Stood Up” and others.
“The ’70s were a bumpy time, but there was also a lot of joy and freedom,” Farris observed.
The Miro Quartet, which will give a concert at 7:30 p.m. April 10, includes violinists Daniel Ching and William Fedkenheuer, violist John Largess and cellist Joshua Gindele. “We started at Oberlin in 1995,” Gindele said. “Then we were just students who really loved playing chamber music.”
They are collaborating with Scottish percussionist Colin Currie. “He’s known for his wonderful marimba sound,” Gindele continued. “This is unusual for a string quartet.”
The program includes Schubert’s “Quartettsatz,” Steve Reich’s “Nagoya Ma- rimbas,” Alexander Goehr’s “Since Brass nor Stone…,” Michael Torke’s “Mojave,” a new work by Heitor Pereira, Steve Martland’s “Starry Night” and Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”
“The program collects various works that have been premiered by me for string quartet and percussion,” declared Currie, who will make his first Northwestern appearance. “This instrumental combination is highly compelling and we have fascinating musical variety to share. We designed the concert to have great diversity and a cogent running order, from the lyrical, pensive world of Alexander Goehr through to the vivid exuberance of Steve Martland.”
Currie, who lives in London and tours about 35 weeks a year, sees the upcoming program as “musical fireworks and highly expressive playing, fusing the lush sound of the strings with the percussive drive of marimba, vibes and various other wondrous sounds.’
“Side by Side” Spring Festival events:
All events at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall unless otherwise noted.
— Post-classical string quartet ETHEL and rock icon Todd Rundgren will present “Tell Me Something Good” at 7:30 p.m. April 2; $20/$10 for students.
— Jazz vocalist Kurt Elling and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra will celebrate the music of Cole Porter with the Spektral Quartet as part of the orchestra at 7:30 p.m. April 3; $26/$10 for students.
— Musicians from the Chicago area celebrate the diversity of the city in “Chicago Reflections,” at 7:30 p.m. April 6. Performers include Greater Harvest Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir, accordionist Jimmy Keane and fiddler Liz Carroll, the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, bayanist (chromatic button accordionist) Stanislav “Stas” Venglevski and mandolinist Misha Litvin, and the Sones de Mexico Ensemble; $16/$10 for students.
— Classical guitarist Jason Vieaux will coach Bienen School guitar students in a master class at 7 p.m. April 8 in Regenstein Recital Hall, 60 Arts Circle Drive. Free admission.
— Percussionist Colin Currie will coach Bienen School percussion students in a master class at 4:30 p.m. April 9 in Regenstein Recital Hall. Free admission.
— Guitarist Jason Vieaux and accordionist and bandoneon player Julien Labro will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 9; $22/12 for students.
— The Miro Quartet and percussionist Colin Currie will perform contemporary and classical music at 7:30 p.m. April 10; $20/$10 for students.
— The Asphalt Orchestra, a 12-member street and marching band, will perform their indoor program “Unpack the Elephant” at 7:30 p.m. April 12; $18/$10 for students.
— Guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera will perform “Dances from the New World” at 7:30 p.m. April 13; $28/$12 for students.