No stranger to making musical choices in real-time, sfSoundGroup, along with special guests, perform modern and historic compositions throughout the festival, covering a wide range of styles, including the logical conclusion of graphic notation: free improvisation. The programmed works also cover a wide range of ensemble sizes from solo to chamber orchestra, with and without electronics.
sfSoundFestival is a rare chance to hear many exciting and historic compositions that are almost never performed live—certainly not something to be missed!
This year the festival pays tribute to PIERRE BOULEZ, who passed away in January, with two large works for soloists—one for violin with electronics and one for clarinet with chamber orchestra. Both pieces include aleatoric elements where the performers select certain aspects of the music to play from an array of given choices. sfSound’s violinist BENJAMIN KREITH and clarinetist MATT INGALLS are featured soloists.
From the American experimental tradition, we feature two composers from the New York School: rarely heard box-notation works for large ensemble by MORTON FELDMAN and graphical and modular pieces by EARLE BROWN.
Special guest composer-performer LUCIE VÍTKOVÁ visiting from the Czech Republic will present her Piece for Accordion and Tap Shoes, in which physical movement is informed by sound -- and sound by physical movement.
Also included are compositions that continue (and pre-date) the American and European traditions from the 1950s to the present day with influences from Jazz, Electronic Music, Indie-Pop, Modern Art, and Psychoacoustics: pieces by JOHANNA BEYER, KYLE BRUCKMANN, JOHN CAGE, MATT INGALLS, PHILL NIBLOCK, PAULINE OLIVEROS, KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI, STEVE REICH, GREG SAUNIER, SALVATORE SCIARRINO, JAMES TENNEY, XENAKIS, and improvisations by SFSOUNDGROUP.
Thank you to the funders: The Earle Brown Music Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, as well as individual contributors.
