The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: This week the UW-Madison will put the spotlight on vocal music reclaimed from the Nazis and contemporary theater music inspired by Samuel Beckett

By Jacob Stockinger

Coming just before the Spring Break, this week will be a busy one at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Mead Witter School of Music.

Here are the highlights that include a lecture and a concert about vocal music resurrected from the Nazis as well as an evening of contemporary works inspired by the 20th-century playwright Samuel Beckett.

But other important events, including some graduate student recitals, are also on the Events Calendar at https://www.music.wisc.edu/events/.

All events listed here are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

TODAY

Tonight at 6:30 p.m. in Morphy Recital Hall, guest trumpeter Richard Illman (below) with present a multimedia video concert with UW trombonist Mark Hetzler and UW trumpeter Alex Noppe.

Sorry, no word on composers or works on the program.

For more information, go to: https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/guest-artist-richard-illman-trumpet-special-multi-media-concert/

At 7 p.m. in 2411 Humanities Building, a FREE lecture will be given by the guest award-winning singer Kristina Bachrach and UW pianist Daniel Fung on the “Rediscovered Voices Initiative.” The project seeks to reclaim musicians and musical works that were killed or suppressed by the Nazis during World War II. (This lecture was originally scheduled for March 9.)

The duo will also give a performance Tuesday night. For details, see below.

For more information, go to:

https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/concert-with-guest-artist-kristina-bachrach-daniel-fung-the-recovered-voices-initiative/

TUESDAY

At 7 p.m. in Music Hall, at the foot of Bascom Hill, guest singer Kristina Bachrach and UW pianist Daniel Fung (below) will give a concert for the “Recovered Voices Initiative” that rediscovers and revives music and musicians lost to the Nazis in World War II. (The concert was originally scheduled for March 10.)

For more information about the performers, the project and the complete program, go to:

https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/concert-with-guest-artist-kristina-bachrach-daniel-fung-the-recovered-voices-initiative/

WEDNESDAY

At 7:30 p.m. In Mills Hall, a FREE concert will be given by the UW Concert Band (below top) under Mike Leckrone (below bottom). Sorry, no word on the program.

FRIDAY

At 1:30 p.m. in Music Hall, the Decoda Chamber Ensemble (below in a photo by Matt Dine) from New York City will give a FREE and PUBLIC master class and workshop for student chamber ensembles. The focus is on interactive performance and audience engagement.

No word on composer or pieces. But for more information, go to:

https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/master-class-decoda-chamber-ensemble/

At 7:30 p.m. in Mills Hall, “Sounding Beckett” will be presented. The concert features the intersection of music and drama as inspired by the Nobel-Prize winning playwright Samuel Beckett (below).

The performers feature guest group Cygnus Ensemble (below), which will play six short musical works based on three of Beckett’s one-act plays (“Footfalls,” “Ohio Impromptu” and “Catastrophe”).

The two works for each play include compositions by UW-Madison alumnus Chester Biscardi (below top) and current UW composer Laura Schwendinger (below bottom). You can hear Biscardi’s music for “Ohio Impromptu” in the YouTube video at the bottom.

There will also be instrumental master classes, a lecture and panel discussion with UW drama professor Patricia Boyette as well as Laura Schwendinger.

NOTE: A master class will also be held but the date, time and place have not yet been announced.

For an excellent longer story with more background and details, go to:

https://www.music.wisc.edu/event/sounding-beckett-the-intersection-of-music-and-drama-featuring-the-cygnus-ensemble/