San Francisco Contemporary Music Players on STAGE series

Oceanic Migrations

MICHAEL GORDON

ROOMFUL OF TEETH

SPLINTER REEDS

September 14, 2019 Cowell Theater Fort Mason Cultural Center San Francisco, CA SFCMP SAN FRANCISCO CONTEMPORARY MUSIC PLAYERS

San Francisco Contemporary Music Brown, Olly Wilson, Michael Gordon, Players is the West Coast’s most Du Yun, Myra Melford, and Julia Wolfe. long-standing and largest new music The Contemporary Players have ensemble, comprised of twenty-two been presented by leading cultural highly skilled musicians. For 49 years, festivals and concert series including the San Francisco Contemporary Music San Francisco Performances, Los Players have created innovative and Angeles Monday Evening Concerts, Cal artistically excellent music and are one Performances, the Stern Grove Festival, Tod Brody, flute Kate Campbell, piano of the most active ensembles in the the Festival of New American Music at Kyle Bruckmann, oboe David Tanenbaum, guitar United States dedicated to contemporary CSU Sacramento, the Ojai Festival, and Sarah Rathke, oboe Hrabba Atladottir, violin music. Holding an important role in the France’s prestigious MANCA Festival. regional and national cultural landscape, The Contemporary Music Players Jeff Anderle, clarinet Susan Freier, violin the Contemporary Music Players are a nourish the creation and dissemination Peter Josheff, clarinet Roy Malan, violin 2018 awardee of the esteemed Fromm of new works through world-class Foundation Ensemble Prize, and a performances, commissions, and Adam Luftman, trumpet Meena Bhasin, viola ten-time winner of the CMA/ASCAP community and education programs. Peter Wahrhaftig, tuba Nanci Severance, viola Award for Adventurous Programming. The Players perform the music of Chris Froh, percussion Hannah Addario-Berry, cello The Players have performed more than composers from across cultures and 1,200 works by over 600 composers; stylistic traditions who are creating a Loren Mach, percussion Stephen Harrison, cello over 300 of these performances have vast and vital 21st-century musical William Winant, percussion Richard Worn, contrabass been premieres, and the organization language featuring the work of iconic has commissioned over 80 major and emerging composers while shining Nick Woodbury, percussion works including pieces from composers a spotlight on works for large ensemble such as John Adams, John Cage, Earle and California artists.

2 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 3 SFCMP ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ERIC DUDLEY

Born in Toronto and raised in Ensemble, American Symphony position at the Conservatory of Music at Connecticut, Eric Dudley leads a Orchestra, Ensemble Signal and the The University of the Pacific in Stockton. multi-faceted career as a conductor, New York Philharmonic. He was an As a pianist and chamber musician, composer, vocalist and pianist deeply assistant conductor for the Cincinnati he has performed with members of engaged in the performance and Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Järvi Novus New York and the Cincinnati and creation of contemporary music. and the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Princeton symphony orchestras, and Since its founding in 2009, Eric has under Rossen Milanov for several his own music has been premiered and been a member of the genre-defying seasons, and some of his recent guest recorded by the Hartford Symphony vocal octet Roomful of Teeth, touring engagements include the Ojai Festival in Orchestra, Quey Percussion Duo, and by worldwide and recording a wide array California, International Contemporary Roomful of Teeth. Eric lives in Walnut of newly commissioned works with the Ensemble (ICE) in New York and Creek with his wife Melanie and their Grammy Award-winning ensemble. In Finland, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra infant son Ethan. the 2018-2019 season, he returns to in Australia, and the National Symphony Australia as principal conductor for the Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. He Bendigo Festival of Exploratory Music, served on the faculty of The New School where he has also appeared on the and Mannes College of Music in New Melbourne Festival, and leads Roomful York, where he directed the Mannes of Teeth and Ensemble L’Instant Donné Prep Philharmonic and The New in a production with Peter Sellars at School Chorus. He currently teaches the Paris Festival d’Automne. While conducting at the San Francisco living in New York, he conducted and Conservatory of Music, having directed performed with organizations as diverse the orchestra program there for two as Ekmeles and Tenet vocal ensembles, seasons, and he was recently appointed the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Talea to a year-long Artist-in-Residence

4 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 5 A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ERIC DUDLEY

Dear friends of SFCMP, Francisco as a center for immigration connections run deep on all levels. to the United States that inspired this Because of this, we know beyond a Thank you for being with us tonight for very commissioning process and this doubt that you are guaranteed an the season-opening concert of our 49th new musical work of art, and we invite extraordinary listening experience year! This evening’s concert is a truly you to enjoy the results of that process this evening, and we invite you to special one, and one with the promise tonight within direct physical and visual immerse yourself in the creativity, of historic intersections on many levels; proximity to the landmarks that define thoughtfulness, and questions raised by it will be the first time ever that both that history. Michael Gordon’s new piece. Roomful of Teeth and Splinter Reeds join the Contemporary Players onstage, It is also a special concert for me on a Once again, thank you for joining us and the premiere performance of a new personal level, since the long-standing tonight, and please continue to engage concert-length work by Michael Gordon, relationships among the performers with us for the rest of the exciting and one of the founding composers of cannot go without mention. Having extremely varied offerings that we have New York’s powerhouse contemporary been a member of Roomful of Teeth ahead in our 49th season! music collective Bang On A Can. since its founding in 2009, it is a supreme pleasure for me to be able to In highest regard, The location for tonight’s concert welcome my colleagues to our stage was chosen very specifically; aside in the tenth anniversary year of that Eric Dudley, Artistic Director from being a beautifully updated and group to create a new work with us enjoyable concert space, the Cowell tonight — and since several members Theater sits within direct view of the of the brilliant reed quintet Splinter Golden Gate, of San Francisco Bay, and Reeds have also performed and still of Angel Island on the far side of the perform within the membership of the water. It is the history of San Contemporary Players, the musical

6 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 7 SCHEDULE PROGRAM

September 7-14, 2019 at Angel Island, Immigration Station Barracks aiisf.org/visit Michael Gordon, In a Strange Land (2019) (c.75’) (Commission)(World Premiere) Educational multimedia installation about the creation and development of this project showing at the historical Immigration Station Barracks on Angel Island. SAN FRANCISCO GUEST ARTISTS CONTEMPORARY For free entry to the Sept. 14 concert, bring an Angel Island ferry ticket, receipt, MUSIC PLAYERS ROOMFUL OF TEETH SPLINTER REEDS or any collateral from Angel Island or Immigration Station Museum. Brendan Lai Tong, trombone Estelí Gomez, soprano Kyle Bruckmann, oboe Peter Wahrhaftig, tuba Martha Cluver, soprano Bill Kalinkos, clarinet September 14, 2019 at Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Kate Campbell, keyboard Eliza Bagg, mezzo soprano Jeff Anderle, bass clarinet Christopher Froh, percussion Virginia Warnken, alto David Wegehaupt, saxophone 6:00pm Doors open, full-service bar and finger food available by Cow Hollow Hrabba Atladottir, violin Stephen Soph, tenor Dana Jessen, bassoon Meena Bhasin, viola Jason Awbry, baritone Catering at the venue Hannah Addario-Berry, cello Thann Scoggin, baritone Richard Worn, double bass Cameron Beauchamp, bass 7:00pm Pre-concert discussion with composer Michael Gordon; Rick Dylan Goodhue, sound Quan, two time Emmy award-winning broadcaster and filmmaker; William engineer Greene, Archivist, The National Archives at San Francisco; and William Lowe, community advisor. This project was made possible in part through the generosity of the Clarence E. Heller Foundation and the National Endowment of the Arts. 8:00pm Concert A special thank you to Angel Island State Park, California State Parks, and Angel Post-concert Reception Island Immigration Station Foundation.

8 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 9 NOTES ON THE PROGRAM by Artistic Director, Eric Dudley room for interpretation and debate. that inhabited these lands before the The history of the U.S. Immigration In the end, if one function of art is to arrival of Europeans, virtually any other Station at Angel Island in the San For composers dealing in heavily reflect the times in which it is created, people to have come here over the Francisco Bay shows no exception to politicized topics, each one searches each composer must decide how much last few hundred years are in some this paradigm. Though now proclaimed out and discerns their own path to an or how little to allow the political and way classifiable as ‘immigrants.’ a ‘sanctuary state,’ the official stance artistic response. Some seek from the social spheres of the given moment to How the United States as a political of California’s government specifically beginning to tackle a particular issue come to bear on their own work, and entity has dealt with the topic since toward Asian immigrants for the better or a number of problems head-on, if at all, then how exactly to encounter its establishment and expansion part of a century was anything but making overt political statements that and incorporate those factors. has almost always been fraught in welcoming. With economic decline remain inextricably linked to the work some way. From the divisions of land and xenophobia dominating the in question—sometimes determining Immigration is unavoidably a politically- ownership and indentured labor that dialogue of the post-Gold Rush and its reception and ultimate fate. Others charged issue at the moment; almost shaped the early colonial era, to the post-Civil War era, the same people might embed certain materials and any commerce with the daily news stain of the slave trade, to the post- who had played an integral role in clues toward their personal ideologies stream will yield a number of headlines bellum influx of a vast wave of settlers, large-scale building projects like the into a more neutral frame (Beethoven’s within the debate that currently roils workers, and pioneers from all over Transcontinental Railroad and the retitling of his third symphony from over the treatment of those attempting the world, immigration to the United Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta ‘Bonaparte’ to ‘Eroica,’ or Shostakovich’s to enter, and some of those who States—and the level of receptivity to levees became the targets of profiling critiques of the Soviet state hidden have already entered, the borders it, official or otherwise—has frequently and exclusionary measures. It was beneath the surface of musical devices of this country and other countries been tied up with a host of other issues, with the encouragement of California’s come to mind). Still others might throughout the world. The history of however unjustifiably: race, religious or political establishment that the U.S. choose to make only the slightest the United States displays a continual cultural background, economic exigency, Congress passed the first piece of suggestion of a political stance, using and cyclical grappling with this basic contemporary politics, and so on. legislation to bar the entry of a specific a topical work of art to ask more issue—complicated by the sheer fact group of people into the country, the questions than it answers, and leaving that aside from the groups of people Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and

10 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 11 the impact and legacy of that act Station, now preserved as a museum. day. Like any composer attempting to the issues—choosing , as many artists continued through the 1950’s and Anyone who sees this place must write on such an emotional and highy- frequently do, to create an allegorical beyond; its official repeal in 1943 reckon with the history it embodies charged topic, his impressions of the frame for the narrative. allowed just over a hundred Chinese and the larger issues connected to the experience and the immediacy of his immigrants to enter per year, and the present-day dialogue that it raises; as own family’s immigrant background In 1918, when the Immigration Station full removal of any nationality-based a place of exclusion and detention, combined to determine his approach at Angel Island had only recently begun restrictions was delayed until the the nature of its entire conduct is to creating a piece around the larger its role in processing and detaining Immigration and Nationality Act of held to account, and for those with themes contained in the history of people of Chinese origin, a novel 1965. Over four decades of that history an immediate or familial connection Angel Island, and in the history of written by a young American female (1910-1940), Angel Island served as to the events that transpired there, author named Willa Cather became the main processing and detention the feelings and memories triggered one of the first, now classic essays point for anyone coming to the United are all the more visceral and real, and in the examination of the immigrant States from the Pacific, and especially inarguably different than for someone experience in this country—albeit from from China. with no connection to that experience. a markedly different perspective. Like herself, the characters in Cather’s novel Viewed from the wharf and the Fort At the start of this project, composer are of European descent, for whom Mason Cultural Center, Angel Island Michael Gordon visited the island, going the set of experiences and challenges sits placidly across the Bay; daily ferries inside the barracks room and observing surrounding immigration (presumably carry tourists there and back from the the tightly packed cots that remind us through New York’s Ellis Island) stands city and from Tiburon on the other how detainees were accommodated immigration to this country in general. in stark contrast to what was happening side of the Golden Gate, and from the for weeks, months, and in some cases Like any composer faced with the concurrently on the west coast. Still, landing point, intrepid visitors have to years, and seeing the many messages decision of how to encounter and write Cather’s novel has recently been singled make their way to the far side of the etched in Chinese script on the wooden on a politicized topic, he sought out and out for re-examination in light of the island to see the site of the Immigration walls that remain highly visible to this set forth on his own path to confront present climate. In a recent opinion

12 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 13 column in the The New York Times, Willa Cather’s My Ántonia. My telling of One of the ways in which much of an insensitive comment after hearing writer Bret Stephens describes Cather’s Cather’s story is not complete; I gather Gordon’s work seeks to examine about how Ántonia’s father has stopped text as “a book for our times” and fragments and passages from her issues, ask questions, or impart playing violin since moving to Nebraska; “an education in what it means to be classic American novel. Cather set her meaning is often through repetition in the context of today’s environment, American: to have come from elsewhere, story on a homestead in a fictional town and amplification, and he does so the same sort of comment could have with very little; to be mindful, amid every called Black Hawk, Nebraska in the late similarly in the context of Cather’s story. been made by someone in Anywhere, trapping of prosperity, of how little we 1800s. As an accompaniment to Cather’s Micro-canons are a prevalent feature U.S.A., picked up by the daily news feed, once had… to protect and nurture those words, I have written a sort of private of the vocal writing, where individual and spun into untold hours of debate in newly arrived, wherever from, as if they musing, similar to thoughts one might voices enter with moment to moment online forums. The same xenophobia were our own immigrant ancestors— have while discussing the book with a echoes of each other’s material in tight and lack of complete understanding for equally scared, equally humble, and friend. Cather’s novel is about nature, rhythmic relation, and often the specific another’s predicament continues to dog equally determined.” If the definition of the West, and about the immigrant text that Gordon selects for this kind us to this day. a classic is a work that retains meaning experience. Ántonia, a young woman of amplification are the bits of Cather’s for successive generations as societal from Bohemia, has arrived from ‘across prose that are particularly prescient or Another issue raised in Gordon’s focus perceptions continue to shift and the water’ with her family who have applicable to the issues of today. At one on Cather’s text is that of language and evolve, then the status of Cather’s novel come to farm the land. The story is told point in the piece, an especially charged names, a key and inescapable element as such is having a renewed moment through her neighbor Jimmy, a young passage of words in the narrative voice in the study and practice of singing of reappraisal. boy, who observes these strangers, and is first introduced as a solo line, and across various traditions. From the who is endlessly fascinated by the bold then echoed and reiterated by a chorus outset, the correct pronunciation of the For a piece involving eight vocalists, Ántonia. Cather wrote My Ántonia in of canonic answers: “I said severely, name Ántonia is called into question one of the most important elements the early 20th century, at a time when ‘We don’t make them come here; people (“is it An-toh-NEE-ah, or An-TOH-nee- is the choice and treatment of text. American writers were starting to explore who don’t like this country ought to ah?”), and even the name of the novelist According to Gordon, “The words of In what the immigrant experience meant to stay at home.’” In the context of the receives some analysis (“Her parents a Strange Land are taken directly from the young and growing nation.” novel, the young Jim Burden is making named her Wilella, a combination of

14 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 15 William and Ella./Wilella changed her to truly grapple with them, and they name to Willa…but her friends and continue to read as vital and important family called her Willie.”). If names and in today’s climate. language are central to our identity, then a universal experience shared by Nowadays, Angel Island and what all immigrants is how those names and went on there in the first part of the languages shift, transform, or disappear 20th Century can easily seem distant entirely in the process of assimilation and forgotten, like a novel written by to a new culture. How many names a young woman a hundred years ago had their spelling altered or completely that some of us may have encountered remodeled through the admission on a high school summer reading process to this or any other country? list. The reason for writing a piece of How many people with non-Western music about immigration, for visiting linguistic roots, especially Asian, were the island, for talking with individuals forced to adopt an ‘English’ name to whose families might still have a live and function in the U.S.? How many connection to the events that transpired world languages were intentionally not there, and for taking out an old book taught to children by their immigrant and re-reading it in the light of the parents here, in an effort to ‘Anglicize’ present day, all are wedded to the same them for a perceived better chance larger effort: to try and understand at success? These are all issues things from someone else’s perspective, suggested by Cather’s novel at a time and by so doing, to try and come to a when the country was just beginning greater understanding of ourselves.

16 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 17 MICHAEL GORDON, COMPOSER

Over the past 30 years, Michael Gordon Gordon’s recent works include a the Rotterdam Symphony. Gordon and has produced a strikingly diverse body new chamber version of his opera Morrison’s other collaborations include of work, ranging from large-scale pieces Acquanetta, commissioned/premiered the Decasia, Dystopia, Gotham and El for high-energy ensembles and major by Beth Morrison’s Prototype Festival Sol Caliente. orchestral commissions to works in NYC; Big Space, commissioned and conceived specifically for the recording presented by the BBC Proms; a concert- Gordon’s discography includes The studio and kaleidoscopic works for length work for choir, Anonymous Unchanging Sea, Clouded Yellow, groups of identical instruments. Man, commissioned/premiered by Sonatra, Natural History, Timber Transcending categorization, his music The Crossing, and three new works Remixed, Dystopia, Rushes, Timber, represents the collision of mysterious for orchestra — Natural History, Weather, Light is Calling, Decasia, introspection and brutal directness. written for the 100th Anniversary of (purgatorio) POPOPERA, Van Gogh, the United States’ National Parks and Trance, and Big Noise from Nicaragua. This season, cellist Ashley Bathgate premiered at Crater Lake in Oregon; He is co-founder and co-artistic premieres a solo to be performed inside Observations on Air, a concerto for director of New York’s legendary music houses, the Amsterdam Cello Octet bassoon for soloist Peter Whelan, collective Bang on a Can. His music is premieres the latest addition to Gordon’s commissioned by The Orchestra of published by Red Poppy Music (ASCAP) concert-length music for multiples, the the Age of Enlightenment; and The and is distributed worldwide by G. Theatre of Voices premiere A Western, Unchanging Sea, a piano concerto Schirmer, Inc. and The Crossing choir gives a preview for Tomoko Mukaiyama with a new of a multi-year project with film by Bill film by Bill Morrison commissioned/ Morrison: Montaña. premiered by the Seattle Symphony and

18 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 19 PANELISTS JOIN US IN WELCOMING OUR NEW CREATIVE William Greene started working at the William (Bill) Lowe is the son of a Rick Quan is a two-time Emmy ADVISORS National Archives in San Francisco paper son, Wong Wah Gum, who award winner with more than 30 in 1987 just as the office began to passed through Angel Island in 1917. years of on-air experience in the San receive voluminous Immigration and He is the only son and oldest child of Francisco television market. He is Caroline Shaw vocalist, violinist, Naturalization Service (INS) holdings five children. Lowe grew up in Oakland the first Chinese American television composer, producer dating from 1882 to 1955. Greene before moving to Berkeley when his sportscaster in the country and the created the first finding aids for those parents purchased a single-family first Asian American male to be a full- records and since then has answered residence that included a neighborhood time anchor in San Francisco. Rick is thousands of queries from descendants corner market. The five children helped also an award-winning documentarian. Tyshawn Sorey multi-instrumentalist, of immigrants looking for information their parents with store operations His most recent film was an hour- composer about their ancestors. In some cases, when they finished the school day. long documentary on the late San he has located records for individuals Lowe is currently enjoying retirement Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, a project who were themselves detained at the from podiatry. As the patriarch of the sponsored by the Chinese Historical Angel Island Immigration Station when Look Lowe family, he has spearheaded Society of America. Quan’s grandfather Edward Simon they were young. several family trips to China to help Bong C. Quan came through Angel pianist, composer, educator establish and maintain a community Island in 1912, while his father, William center, a kindergarten, and local music K.Y. Quan came through in 1938. programs and teachers, in both his parents’ village in their name. Pamela Z composer, performer

20 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 21 GUEST ARTISTS

ROOMFUL OF TEETH is a Grammy- North Adams, Massachusetts, where SPLINTER REEDS is the West Splinter Reeds formed in 2013 winning vocal project dedicated to they’ve studied with some of the Coast’s first reed quintet, comprising with the coming together of five reimagining the expressive potential world’s top performers and teachers five innovative musicians with a colleagues highly active in multiple of the human voice. Through study in Tuvan throat singing, yodeling, shared passion for new music. The facets of the Bay Area’s vibrant music with masters from vocal traditions the Broadway belting, Inuit throat singing, ensemble is committed to presenting scene: Kyle Bruckmann (oboe), Bill world over, the eight-voice ensemble Korean P’ansori, Georgian singing, top tier performances of today’s Kalinkos (clarinet), David Wegehaupt continually expands its vocabulary Sardinian cantu a tenore, Hindustani best contemporary composition, (saxophone), Jeff Anderle (bass of singing techniques and, through music, Persian classical singing and showcasing the vast possibilities of clarinet), and Dana Jessen (bassoon). an ongoing commissioning process, Death Metal singing. Commissioned the reed quintet, commissioning new The sum of their wide ranges of forges a new repertoire without borders. Composers include Rinde Eckert, works, and collaborating with fellow experience – in settings including free Fred Hersch, Merrill Garbus (of musicians and artists. jazz, improvisation, electronic music, Founded in 2009 by Brad Wells, tUnE-yArDs), William Brittelle, Toby pop, punk and metal as well as classical Roomful of Teeth gathers annually Twining, Missy Mazzoli, Julia Wolfe, As a relatively new chamber music – has enabled them to rapidly zero in at the Massachusetts Museum of Ted Hearne and Ambrose Akinmusire, genre, the reed quintet is an evolutionary on a distinct aesthetic identity. Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) in among many others. detour from the traditional woodwind quintet with the advantages of a more closely related instrument family. With approximately 20 professional reed quintets worldwide, Splinter Reeds is explicitly dedicated to cutting edge composition and expanding the existing reed quintet repertoire through the development of new works by emerging and established composers.

22 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 23 SFCMP PLAYERS

Adam Luftman is the Principal Trumpet Rootstock Percussion, and San him by composers such as Hans Violinist Hrabba Atladottir studied of both the San Francisco Opera and Francisco Chamber Orchestra. He has Werner Henze, Terry Riley, Aaron Jay in Berlin, Germany with professor San Francisco Ballet Orchestras. Adam premiered over 100 chamber and solo Kernis and Lou Harrison. Tanenbaum Axel Gerhardt and professor Tomasz has been a featured soloist with a works by composers from 15 countries. has toured extensively with Steve Tomaszewski. After finishing her number of orchestras and is member of His rich and diverse career includes Reich and Musicians, in Japan with studies, Hrabba worked as a freelancing the National Brass Ensemble and The performances with the San Francisco Toru Takemitsu, and has had a long violinist in Berlin for five years, regularly Bay Brass. He has recorded with the Symphony at Carnegie Hall, Gamelan association with Ensemble Modern. playing with the Berlin Philharmonic Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Sekar Jaya at the Stern Grove Festival, He is Chair of the San Francisco Orchestra, Deutsche Oper, and Deutsche Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, the and session recordings at Skywalker Conservatory’s Guitar Department. Symphonieorchester. Hrabba also National Brass Ensemble, for ESPN Ranch. As a soloist, he has appeared participated in a world tour with the Sunday Night Football, and on many at festivals and recitals across Japan, Cellist Hannah Addario-Berry Icelandic pop artist Björk, and a Germany movie and video game soundtracks. China, Turkey, Europe, and the United specializes in chamber music and tour with violinist Nigel Kennedy. Joshua Luftman is currently on the faculties States including featured performances solo repertoire and is passionately Kosman, music critic of San Francisco of the San Francisco Conservatory, at the Beijing Modern Festival, Nuovi committed to performing music by Chronicle, praised her performance of UC Berkeley, and San Francisco Spazi Musicali, and Music@Menlo. He living composers. In 2015, Hannah Vivaldi’s Spring, and called her violin State University. He has presented teaches percussion and chamber music created Scordatura, an innovative playing “delicate but fervent.” masterclasses all over the country at UC Davis and CSU Sacramento. project combining Zoltán Kodály’s including The Curtis Institute of monumental Sonata for Solo Cello Music, New England Conservatory, David Tanenbaum has performed as with a series of newly commissioned Cleveland Institute of Music, New World a solo guitarist throughout the US, works, which all share a unique altered Symphony, and Tanglewood. Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and tuning of the cello. An avid and versatile Australia. He has worked tirelessly to chamber musician, Hannah joined Percussionist Christopher Froh is expand the guitar repertoire, resulting SFCMP in 2017. Addarioberry.com a member of Empyrean Ensemble, in dozens of works composed for

24 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 25 SFCMP PLAYERS

Jeff Anderle (clarinet) is a pioneer residency at CSUEB, and will begin and sound artists can be heard on more Biennale with eco ensemble, including in the world of low reeds, helping to an interdisciplinary residency at Paul than 80 recordings of various genres. a special performance of Nagoya popularize the role of the modern Dresher Studios in Oakland. She was The most significant projects he has Marimbas for Golden Lion lifetime clarinet and bass clarinet through his recently honored as a distinguished led or collaboratively founded include achievement honoree, Steve Reich. innovative and diverse performances, fellow at Hambidge Center for the Degradient, EKG, Lozenge, and Wrack. ensembles, and commissions. He is Creative Arts. Her recorded work can He currently teaches at UC Santa Cruz, Meena Bhasin (viola) is co-founder a member of Splinter Reeds, the bass be heard on New Amsterdam Records, Davis and Berkeley. Kylebruckmann.com of Decoda—the affiliate ensemble of clarinet duo Sqwonk, and REDSHIFT, Pinna Records, and New Focus Carnegie Hall—which combines great and a former member of Edmund Recordings. Kate serves on the faculty Loren Mach (percussionist) is a artistry with civic engagement. She Welles and the Paul Dresher Electro/ of Mills College. graduate of the Oberlin and Cincinnati has led Decoda around the globe from Acoustic Band. Jeff is a founding Conservatories, he has premiered Mexico to India and Abu Dhabi. Meena co-director of Switchboard Music, Oboist Kyle Bruckmann’s widely countless solo, chamber, and orchestral was invited to perform at the Obama and serves on the faculty of the San ranging work as a composer/performer, works. He teaches at the University White House, highlighting Decoda’s Francisco Conservatory of Music where educator, classical freelancer and of California, Berkeley and is principal work in criminal justice reform. She he teaches clarinet, chamber music and new music specialist extends from percussionist of eco ensemble, has toured the US as a soloist with professional development, and is the conservatory-trained foundations principal timpanist of San Francisco legendary rock band Jethro Tull and chair of the woodwind department. into gray areas encompassing free Chamber Orchestra, and co-founder performed Persian music as a soloist jazz, post-punk rock, and the noise of Rootstock Percussion. Mach often with the New York Philharmonic. Kate Campbell has been described as a underground. Beyond SFCMP, his performs with the San Francisco Meena is the founder of Reveler and “brilliant pianist” (Financial Times) and ensemble affiliations include Splinter Symphony and other local orchestras. the Co-Artistic Director of Noe Valley “powerful player” (Santa Cruz Sentinel). Reeds, sfSound, Eco Ensemble, the In 2011, he was awarded the Investing Chamber Music. She holds degrees In addition to SFCMP, she is the pianist Stockton Symphony, and Quinteto in Artists grant from the Center for from New England Conservatory and for the Eco Ensemble in Berkeley. This Latino. His creative work within an Cultural Innovation. He appeared in two Tufts University. year she will continue a guest artist international community of improvisers full-length concerts at the 2014 Venice

26 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 27 SFCMP PLAYERS

Nanci Severance (viola) is a member the Bang on a Can All-Stars, with the Davis), the Eco Ensemble (UC Berkeley), and in recordings, including those of the San Francisco Symphony and Ensemble Modern Akademie, and Eco and the San Francisco Chamber of Alvin Curran, Christian Wolff, and has performed with many Bay area Ensemble. His work with contemporary Orchestra. He performs frequently with electro-acoustic composer Chris ensembles, including Chamber Music music includes premiering new works Opera Parallele and has worked with Brown. In addition to his performance West, the Midsummer Mozart Chamber by George Crumb, John Luther Adams, many other groups including Other career, Wahrhaftig has performed on Players, and the Parlante Chamber Michael Gordon, and many others. Minds, West Edge Opera, Melody of the soundtracks of numerous movie Orchestra, with whom she was principal Woodbury has appeared at the Brooklyn China, the Ives Collective, Mills College and video games. He can be heard violist. She is also a member of the Academy of Music, Apple Store at Contemporary Performance Ensemble, on Alvin Curran’s eclectic CD Animal Donatello String Quartet, and a regular Lincoln Center, Kresge Auditorium the Paul Dresher Ensemble, and Sounds, and he now teaches at the San guest artist with the Ives Quartet. Over at MIT, New Music New College, Composers, Inc. He has appeared on Francisco Conservatory of Music, U.C. the course of her career, Nanci has Symphony Space in Manhattan, numerous recordings on the Albany, Berkeley, and privately in the Bay Area. performed with the Toledo Symphony, Carlsbad New Music Festival and Bridge, Centaur, Innova, Arabesque, the Cleveland Opera orchestra, the many more internationally-acclaimed CRI, Rastascan, Tazdik, and Electra Double bassist Richard Worn has Cleveland Ballet, as Assistant Principal performing arts centers. record labels. performed extensively with the San violist of the Aspen Chamber Orchestra Francisco Opera and Symphony. and rotating Principal of the Spoleto Peter Josheff, clarinetist and Peter Wahrhaftig is Principal Tubist Currently, he serves as Assistant Festival Orchestra. composer, has been on the front lines of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, Principal Bass of the Marin Symphony of the northern California new music the Sun Valley Summer Symphony, and Principal Bass of the Sanse SFCMP percussionist Nick Woodbury scene for more than thirty years as and is a founding member of the Chamber Orchestra as well as with also performs with and co-directs Mantra a composer and clarinetist. He is a Grammy-nominated Bay Brass. He the Berkeley Contemporary Chamber Percussion– a group dedicated to large- founding member of Earplay and of appears frequently with the San Players, ECO Ensemble, Other Minds scale projects that redefine the traditional Sonic Harvest, and is a core member of Francisco Opera, the Oakland-East sfSound, Empyrean Ensemble, Earplay, classical music concert format. the San Francisco Contemporary Music Bay Symphony and numerous other and Composer’s Inc. Richard is also Woodbury has appeared alongside Players, the Empyrean Ensemble (UC local organizations, both in concert former Principal Bass of the New

28 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 29 SFCMP PLAYERS

Century Chamber Orchestra. With his locally with a string quartet, piano trio, known as the Ives and Stanford String is currently co-Artistic Director of the Worn Chamber Ensemble, founded and music festival engagements. Quartets) and a member of the faculty Ives Collective, principal violist at the in 1996, has performed works for at Stanford University. Formerly Mendocino Music Festival, a coach at both solo bass and ensemble by such Oboist Sarah Rathke maintains a busy principal cellist of the Chamber the SoCal Chamber Music Workshop composers as Andriessen, Cage, and enthusiastic performance presence Symphony of San Francisco, the Opera and performs at the Telluride Chamber Harrison, Henze, Revueltas, Scelsi, in Northern California and beyond, Company of Boston, and the New Music Festival. Her recordings are on Varese, and Xenakis. He currently as a member of the Sacramento England Chamber Orchestra, Harrison the Newport Classics, Stolat, Pantheon, teaches and provides orchestral Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras has performed on National Public Laurel, Music and Arts, and CRI labels. coaching at UC Berkeley. and a regular performer with the Radio, the BBC, and on both German symphonies of Marin, Fremont, Santa State Radio and the Netherlands Tod Brody is principal flutist with Roy Malan serves as solo violinist Rosa, Vallejo, California, Berkeley, State Radio. Stephen has toured SFCMP, as well as local new music with the California Symphony and Monterey and Santa Cruz. She was a internationally and recorded on the groups Earplay, Eco Ensemble, and the Opera Parallèle and was the longtime member of the Avenue Winds, a Bay Delos, CRI, New Albion, and Newport Empyrean Ensemble, with an extensive concertmaster and solo violinist for Area woodwind quintet committed to Classics labels. career that has included performances the San Francisco Ballet. The founding new music, and has also has performed of numerous world premieres and director of the Telluride Chamber Music with various orchestras including the Susan Freier (violin) After earning many recordings. He is also principal Festival, he has an extensive career of San Francisco Symphony and the San degrees in Music and Biology at flutist of the San Francisco Chamber performance domestically as well as Francisco Ballet. Rathke is a Professor Stanford, Susan co-founded the widely- Orchestra, the Sacramento Opera, in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, of Oboe at UC Berkeley. Sarah joined acclaimed Chester String Quartet at and the California Musical Theater, and Africa to his credit. He is widely SFCMP in 2012. the Eastman School of Music. She and makes frequent appearances recorded on the Genesis, Orion, and has been a participant at the Aspen, with the San Francisco Opera and San several other labels. Roy currently A very active cellist in the Bay Area and Grand Teton and Newport Music Francisco Ballet orchestras, and in serves on the faculty of the University beyond, Stephen Harrison is co-Artistic Festivals, and has performed on NPR, other chamber and orchestral settings of California, Santa Cruz, and plays Director of the Ives Collective (formerly the BBC, and German State Radio. She throughout the region. In addition to

30 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 31 SFCMP PLAYERS CELEBRATING MARGOT GOLDING performing and teaching, Tod is an collaborated with legends of 20th Please join us in thanking board active arts administrator, currently and 21st century music, from Iannis member Margot Golding who served on serving as Executive Director of the Xenakis to Steve Reich and Yo-Yo Ma, our board of directors from 1997-2005 Marin Symphony. and from Merce Cunningham to Kronos and 2013-2019. Margot has joined our Quartet and Sonic Youth. Composers Organizational Advisory Group where Grammy-nominated percussionist who have written for Winant include she is a member of our Investment William Winant is internationally John Cage, Lou Harrison, John Zorn, Committee. Thank you, Margot for your regarded as a leading performer Peter Garland, Larry Polansky and many generous service. of avant-garde music. In 2014, he more. In 2016, Winant was awarded a received a Grammy nomination for his prestigious grant from the Foundation Margot led the Western Region recording of John Cage’s historic solo of Contemporary Arts in recognition Education & Nonprofit Banking for work, 27’ 10.554” for a percussionist, for his groundbreaking work as a Wells Fargo, where she developed and on MicroFest Records. Winant has contemporary percussionist. managed relationships with universities, colleges, private schools, and nonprofits nationwide. Margot holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies from Oberlin College, and a B.M. in oboe performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Margot Her involvement with classical music has served on the President’s Advisory includes attending concerts and playing Board for Oberlin College and held oboe in the Marin Symphony. A longtime the position of Chairman of Goodwill San Francisco resident, Margot lives in San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin. Noe Valley with her husband.

32 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 33 SF SEARCH PROMO FRIENDS OF SFCMP

Submissions due November 30, 2019 San Francisco Contemporary Music Players gratefully acknowledge the following supporters who have made one or more donations within the last 12 months, We are pleased to invite applications resulting in gift totals within the following categories. These generous gifts help for our annual SF Search for Scores the ensemble to reach new heights in presenting outstanding, adventurous and Education Program. Composers concerts at affordable prices educating young musicians, commissioning new under 30 are invited to submit a works, and breaking down the barriers to understanding new music through our piece for inclusion on our ‘at the How Music is Made program. CROSSROADS’ series concert held in San Francisco in March 2020, on We apologize for any errors or omissions; for corrections please contact [email protected]. a program featuring the music of Dutch composer Louis Andriessen in Director’s Circle ($10,000 + ) Founders’ Circle ($1,000-$2,499) celebration of his 80th birthday. Anonymous Anne and Robert Baldwin Claire and Kendall Allphin Players’ Circle ($5,000-$9,999) Gene Nakajima and Howard Rubin As part of this program, one winning Dianne Ellsworth James C. Hormel Margot Golding and Michael Powers composer will receive a private Karen Gottlieb Susan and Harry Hartzell Kit Sharma and Wei Tsai score reading and feedback session Lawrence Daressa Producers’ Circle ($2,500-$4,999) with SFCMP players and SF Search MaryClare Brzytwa Donald Blais Michael Gilbertson panelists, a public performance on Eunice Childs in memory of Dr. Alfred W. Michael McGinley Childs, a former board member a subscription-series concert, and Timothy L. Bridge an archival recording. In addition Melanie Johnson, Ph.D. Peter and Robin Witte the winning composer will receive a Richard Festinger $1,000 stipend.

Learn more at SFCMP.org

34 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 35 FRIENDS OF SFCMP

Guest Artists’ Circle ($500-$999) Supporter ($100-$199) Friend ($1-$49) The Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia Anonymous Alan and Deborah Cohen David Gladstein University Evelyn Nussenbaum and Fred Vogelstein Anonymous Jessica Frye The Amphion Foundation Jerome and Linda Elkind Caius Vannouhuys Joshua Hohn The Bernard Osher Foundation Karl Pribram and Sweta Arora Diana Goldstein Keith Rozendal The Ross McKee Foundation Mark Applebaum and Joan Friedman Elouise Wilson Lauren Chandler William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Paul R. Griffin Fran Johns Peter Geraghty Rachel Elson and Eric Waltari Hannah Addario-Berry and William Addario- William Ratner The Orchard Hotels of San Francisco is the Richard and Patricia Taylor Lee Turner preferred lodging partner of SFCMP. Ronald Kay Jean and George Dowdall Major Inkind Supporters Use our SFCMP preferred rate links below to Susan York Joseph Gratz Google Foundation secure 15% off lodging any time of year! Tod Brody Kenneth Bruckmeier Microsoft Thanks for being a SFCMP patron. Margaret Spaulding in honor of Bud Johns Salesforce Foundation Sponsor ($200-$499) Robert Archambault SF Conservatory of Music Andrea and Lubert Stryer Robert Kirzinger Anonymous Steven Juliani In addition to the many generous Holly Hartley and Oscar Anderson individual contributors, ticket-buyers James Robinson Patron ($59-$99) and season subscribers, our season JoAnn and Jack Bertges in honor of board Anonymous concerts and events were made Orchard Hotel member Margot Golding Benjamin Streim possible in part by recent grants 665 Bush Street San Francisco 94108 Kate Campbell Emily Moline from the following foundations and Orchard Hotel SFCMP Preferred Rates Link: Kyle Bruckmann Harmon Burstyn bit.ly/2BUNBqO Lisa Oman Harvey Ingham agencies: Stephen Harrison and Susan Freier Joel Levine Orchard Garden Hotel Steve Horowitz and Keesje Fischer Larry Ragent American Music Project 466 Bush Street San Francisco 94108 Susan York in honor of Bud Johns Pamela Z Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation Thomas and Nancy Fiene Paul and Celia Concus Clarence E. Heller Foundation Orchard Garden Hotel SFCMP Preferred Tony Politopoulos Ricci Adams Fromm Music Foundation Rates Link: bit.ly/2NqdrHZ Vicki Darrow and Jim McQuade Sharon Silva National Endowment for the Arts Stephen Grenholm San Francisco Grants for the Arts Will Leben The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc.

36 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 37 LEGACY CIRCLE BOARD, ADVISORS, STAFF, AND BUSINESS PARTNERS

THE HAROLD WOLLACK LEGACY CIRCLE Board of Directors Founding Directors Past Executive Directors Donald Blais Charles Boone Rozella Kennedy (2012-2015) President Jean-Louis LeRoux Carrie Blanding (2010-2012) A former subscriber, Harold Wollack, left the first bequest to help underwrite the Kit Sharma Marcella DeCray Christopher Honett (2009-2010) ensemble’s concerts and programs. Recently, the ensemble received generous Vice President Adam Frey (1991-2009) Emeritus Advisors bequests from the estates of Jane Roos and Victor and Esta Wolfram. All Melanie Johnson, Ph.D., Susan Munn (1988-1991) Treasurer Anne Baldwin Marcella DeCray (1974-1988) bequests help to ensure that our organization will remain vibrant and that future Paul Griffin Dianne Ellsworth Current Team generations will enjoy the music of the San Francisco Contemporary Music Richard Lee Secretary Lisa Oman Steven Schick Players. We thank the following individuals who have arranged a legacy gift in Kyle Bruckmann Executive Director MaryClare Brzytwa Susan York support of our future: Eric Dudley Michael Gilbertson Creative Advisors Artistic Director Peter Witte Caroline Shaw Amadeus Regucera A.Robin Orden Jacqueline S. Hoefer * Richard Festinger Edward Simon Artistic Production Director Adam Frey Jane Roos and Jean-Louis LeRoux * Steve Horowitz Pamela Z Eunice Childs Margot Golding Tod Brody in memory of Dr. Alfred W. Childs Paul Griffin Tyshawn Sorey Business Partners Cow Hollow Catering Anne Baldwin Priscilla Brown Board Presidents Organizational Advisors Gary Preiser, Inc., Roy (Bud) and Fran Johns Renate Kay * Richard D. Lee (2009-2013) Karen Gottlieb James Knox, Photographer C. Michael Richards * Ruth Caron Jacobs * Susan Hartzell (2005-2009) Susan Harzell McCall Staffing, Box Office Dr. Claire Harrison Susan and Harry Hartzell Anne Baldwin (2002-2005) Terry McKelvey Terry McKelvey, Dianne J. Ellsworth Terry McKelvey Roy C. (Bud) Johns (2000-2001) Timothy Bridge Investment Officer Donald Blais Victor and Esta Wolfram * T. William Melis (1996-2000) George Bosworth * Trey Houston, Videographer Paul R. Griffin (1986-1996) Past Artistic Directors Harold Wollack * Steinway & Sons Jane Roos (1978-1986) Steven Schick (2009-2018) Holly Hartley *realized Tony Kay Design Jean-Louis LeRoux (1974-1978) David Milnes (2002-2009) Jean-Louis LeRoux (2001-2002) To leave your own legacy gift to the ensemble, please contact Donald Palma (1998-2000) Lisa Oman, Executive Director (415) 633-8802 or [email protected] Stephen L. Mosko (1988-1997) Jean-Louis LeRoux (1974-1988) Charles Boone (1971-1973)

38 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 39 UPCOMING EVENTS FROM OUR ARTS PARTNER

The US Immigration Station, located the complicated intersections of at Angel Island State Park, is a lens race, immigration, and our American through which the broad contemporary identity. The US Immigration Station issues of immigration, diversity, is open for guided and self-guided culture, and class conflict can be tours, Wednesday through Sunday. Angel Island State Park is open daily, accessible by public ferry, Tiburon examined with historical perspective. Reservations are recommended. (angelislandferry.com) or San Francisco (blueandgoldfleet.com), or by private boat. Its legacy serves as a touchstone School discounts available. for personalizing and humanizing parks.ca.gov/angelisland

For more information contact [email protected] or call 415-435-5537.

40 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 41 NOW’S THE TIME TO BECOME A SFCMP MEMBER!

We invite you to become a member of San Francisco Contemporary Music Players and join a close-knit, Bay Area community of contemporary music enthusiasts, musicians, and composers. Your season membership helps us put on world-class performances of large-ensemble works that are rarely, if ever, heard on the West Coast.

We invite you to join the Contemporary Music Players’ community today and become part of the music-making.

Members Receive: • Tickets to 2 events of your choice each season • 20% discount on additional single tickets • Exclusive invitation to our annual Season Launch party Lisa Oman • Free music download 2x per year Executive Director • Tax deduction: Memberships are 100% tax deductible

Become a member today at SFCMP.org

Photo: Stephen B. Hahn

42 • San Francisco Contemporary Music Players SFCMP.org • 43 UPCOMING EVENTS

Triptych (Eyes of One on Another) by Bryce Dessner Sat, September 28, 2019, 8PM - Cal Performances, UC Berkeley Thu, October 3, 2019, 7:30pm - Stanford Live, Stanford University MASTERCLASS series SF Conservatory Recital Hall - 50 Oak St., San Francisco Thu, November 7, 2019 @ 7:30pm in the COMMUNITY series – Celebration of the Elements The Women’s Building - 3543 18th Street #8, San Francisco Sun, December 8, 2019 @ 3:00pm in the LABORATORY series – Kinetic Transformations SF Conservatory Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall - 50 Oak St., SF Fri, January 17, 2020 6:30pm How Music is Made | 8:00pm Concert | Post-concert Party at the CROSSROADS series – Prismatic Reflections SF Conservatory Recital Hall - 50 Oak St., San Francisco Fri, March 27 & Sat, March 28, 2020 6:30pm How Music is Made | 8:00pm Concert | Post-concert Party in the COMMUNITY series – Season Launch Party: Sound and Wine Bluxome Street Winery - 53 Bluxome St., San Francisco Sat, April 25, 2020 @ 1:30pm