The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: This will be a busy week at the UW-Madison for students and faculty members who will give FREE recitals. But what will they play?

By Jacob Stockinger

This will be a very busy week for student and faculty recitals at the UW-Madison.

The good news? All concerts will be FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

The bad news? Sorry, but in most cases The Ear has not received word about the program with specific composers and specific works.

That’s an annoyance that could cut into attendance, an issue that The Ear dealt with in another recent post:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/classical-music-should-performers-and-presenters-list-individual-pieces-as-well-as-composers/

WEDNESDAY

At 7:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, the UW-Madison Guitar Ensemble, under its director Javier Calderon, will perform. No word on the program.

(Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

At 7:30 p.m. in Music Hall, the brass ensemble Twisted Metal (below), under its director hornist Daniel Grabois – who is also a member of the Wisconsin Brass Quintet – will perform its annual concert of music inspired by rock music. Once again, no word on specific songs or composers.

THURSDAY

The UW-Madison Percussion Ensemble (below) will perform solo and chamber works under its director Anthony Di Sanza. No word on specific composers or works.

FRIDAY

At 8 p.m. in Mills Hall, the Women’s and University Chorus will perform a FREE concert under conductors Sara Guttenberg and Mark Lehnowsky. Sorry, no program specifics.

At 8 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, bassoonist Marc Vallon (below) will perform a faculty recital using several bassoons.

The Ear has received no word on specific program. But in a Facebook posting, the congenial and charming, very talented and witty French native – who just won raves for his conducting of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” for the Madison Bach Musicians this past weekend — displays a great sense of humor. He says the concert will feature: “Some Baroque music, some pretty pieces and a couple of annoying modern ones.”

That’s brave talk from a musician who worked with the late Pierre Boulez.

Let’s hear it for Annoying Modern Music!

SATURDAY

At 3:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, flutist Ivana Urgcic will give a recital for her Doctor of Musical Arts degree. No program is listed.

At 6:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall. Soprano Yanzelalee Rivera will give a recital. There are no specific works, but at least she lists composers: “In this recital, Ms. Rivera will be presenting works by Robert Schumann, Joseph Marx and Claude Debussy with the collaboration of ChanMi Jean, first year doctoral student of Prof. Martha Fischer.”

At 7:30 p.m. in Mills Hall, the UW-Madison Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (below) will perform under its director, composition professor Laura Schwendinger. No program information has been given.

SUNDAY

From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, there is a free recital by young student in the Community Music Lessons program. No program is listed, but a reception follows the performance.

For information about the program that serves “learners of all ages,” visit:

http://www.music.wisc.edu/cml/

Photo by: Bryce Richter

At 1:30 p.m. in Morphy Rectial Hall, trombone graduate student Matthew Bragstad will “collaborate with pianist Jason Kutz to provide an eclectic showcase of both standard and new repertoire for the trombone. The program will include works by composers Pryor, Scelsi, Jesse (a world premiere), L. Mozart and Castérède.”

Hmmm. How many of you recognize those non-Mozart names?

At 2 p.m. in Mills Hall, the UW Concert Choir, under UW-Madison Choral Director Beverly Taylor will perform a program of new music that was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 16. The Ear will post more about this concert later this week.

At 3:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, the winning pianists in the annual Beethoven Sonata Competition will perform. The names of the winners and the selection of the sonatas to be performed have not been announced yet.

But The Ear has attended many of the winners’ recitals and has rarely been disappointed.