2017

Event Description

Picosa’s winter concerts present works that celebrate American culture in dance and music. Augusta Read Thomas’ Scat was created for and premiered by Picosa in 2015 in its current version which includes clarinet rather than viola. Performing Scat feels like an interesting musical conundrum as Picosa’s musicians interpret how to perform an instrumental piece that imitates this iconic American vocal jazz form (scat) that imitates instrumental music. Paul Schoenfield takes us on a journey through popular American dance forms (Charleston, Rag, and Jig) of the 20th century and earlier in his three movement Sonatina. We move to a more lyrical side of American music in the works of romantic composer Amy Beach and contemporary composer Peter Schickele, who’s best known for his comedic alter-ego PDQ Bach. Finally, the program closes with two high energy, virtuosic works in Elliot Carter’s Esprit Rude for flute and clarinet and University of Illinois-Chicago Associate Professor of Music Marc Mellits’ Spam for full ensemble.

Program

Augusta Read Thomas | Scat (flute/clar/violin/cello/piano)
Amy Beach | Piano trio op. 150 (violin/cello/piano)
Paul Schoenfield | Sonatina (flute/clarinet/piano)
pause
Peter Schickele | Quartet (clar/violin/cello/piano)
Elliot Carter | Esprit Rude (flute/clarinet)
Marc Mellits | Spam (flute/clar/violin/cello/piano)

Picosa Artists

Jennie Oh Brown | flute
Andrea R. DiOrio | clarinet
Elizabeth Brausa Brathwaite | violin
Patti Garvey | cello
Kuang-Hao Huang | piano
Jonathon Kirk | Composer-in-Residence

1717 31st Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523
United States
(630) 206-9566