Department of Music Concert and Event Listing

The Collaborations Concert is an annual series that premieres compositions by graduate students, performed by fellow music Tritons. Showcasing the talent at the UC San Diego Department of Music are composers Lorraine Oliveira, Sofia Leal de Leon, Leanna Keith, Sivan Silver-Swartz, and Jeremy Wei Rosenstock.

Soprano Susan Narucki presents an evening of vocal chamber music, assisted by Leanna Keith, flute, Robert Bui, cello, and others.

The concert features the world premiere of Cassandra, a 25 minute work for soprano, flute and cello, written by San Diego composer Adam Greene.  

Green writes "Cassandra is a setting of ... the famous mad scene in Agamemnon by Aeschylus. Cassandra was the Trojan priestess doomed to tell prophecies that would not be believed or understood.... There is nothing really "mad" about this Cassandra, of course.  Not only does she tell the truth, the truth is terrifying."  

Also on the program, Susan will be joined by soprano Kirsten Ashley Wiest in a performance of Alba Potes' TRINOS, for two acapella sopranos. TRINOS was one of the works featured on Susan and Kirsten's critically acclaimed release on NEW FOCUS.

Finally, Susan will be joined by pianist Kyle Adam Blair in a set of songs written by Clara Schumann.

Additional works to be announced. 

Bridge Music Series presents GRAMMY-nominated pianist HAN CHEN. 

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a “Les adieux”
Liszt: Funérailles, S. 173 No. 7
Stravinsky: Four Études, Op. 7
(intermission)
Lei Liang: A Book of Time I (2023) (west coast premiere)
Stravinsky: Trois mouvements de Petrouchka

https://www.hanchenpiano.com/

A fearless performer with seemingly limitless imagination and possessed with uncanny energy, GRAMMY-nominated pianist Han Chen plays scores old and new with rare rigor and insight.

A GRAMMY® nominee for Best Classical Instrumental Solo, Chen was recognized for his recording of Florence Price's Piano Concerto in One Movement in D minor with conductor John Jeter and the Malmö Opera Orchestra.

Alex Ross, classical music critic of The New Yorker, who selected Mr. Chen's disc of the Ligeti Études and Capriccios as a "Notable Classical Recording of 2023," characterized him as follows:

The Taiwanese pianist Han Chen, a noted interpreter of the Ligeti Études and other modernist repertory, has made a blistering album of the [Liszt] opera transcriptions.
— The New Yorker, September 4, 2023

Attending Mr. Chen's recent traversal of the 18 Ligeti Etudes and 18 commissioned world premieres, George Grella titled his review: "Han Chen's remarkable playing equal to the genius of Ligeti's Etudes" and went on to exclaim:

He is astonishing, with some of the finest pianism one has ever witnessed.
— New York Classical Review, September 25, 2023

Gold Medalist at the 2013 China International Piano Competition and a prizewinner at the 2018 Honens International Piano Competition, Mr. Chen has also been praised by Gramophone as "impressively commanding and authoritative" and further cited by The New York Times for his "graceful touch," "rhythmic precision" and "hypnotic charm." He has appeared as soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic, Fort Worth Symphony, Lansing Symphony, Lexington Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, National Taiwan Symphony, and Xiamen Philharmonic.

Han Chen has studied with Yoheved Kaplinsky, Wha Kyung Byun, and Ursula Oppens at The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, and CUNY Graduate Center. He is a Steinway Artist and is represented by Black Tea Music.

With the San Diego Children’s Choir

GRAMMY-nominated brass quartet The Westerlies brings its signature blend of jazz, classical, folk, and American roots influences to Fireside Brass, a festive program featuring beloved seasonal favorites. Praised for their dynamic precision and adventurous spirit, the ensemble has earned national acclaim for bringing these sounds together in unexpected ways.

From “Carol of the Bells” and “O Holy Night” to “Joy to the World” and “Jingle Bells,” Fireside Brass celebrates the season with rich harmonies and songs everyone knows by heart. Joined by the San Diego Children’s Choir on select songs, The Westerlies create a joyful evening filled with tradition and the spirit of a family sing-along.

More information: https://artpower.ucsd.edu/event/the-westerlies-fireside-brass/