First Night: NEC Musicians

An evening with New England Conservatory students and alumni, organized by composer Katarina Miljkovic of the NEC faculty, and performing a wide variety of musical genres: jazz, classical, contemporary, Contemporary Improvisation, electronic, and multimedia.

Musical commentaries after each of the works performed will be led by NEC Contemporary Improvisation students Lautaro Mantilla and Andy Fordyce, with an ensemble of small instruments. Audience members are welcome to join the ensemble of small instruments and participate in the improvised musical commentaries.

The format of the concert itself is mirrored by at least one of the works performed, Giacinto Scelsi's Canti del Capricorno. This cycle of 20 songs was written in collaboration with singer Michiko Hirayama between 1962 and 1972, and developed through improvisation, recording, and only then transcribed as a score. Rather than a setting of text, the sounds produced by the singer are syllables, scored to an unconventional assortment of instruments.

But even familiar composers like Bach and Beethoven will be experienced in an unfamiliar, interactive way.

Admission is free with First Night button.

prelude for small instruments
Lautaro Mantilla, Andy Fordyce

Xenakis Psappha
David Tarantino, percussion

Bach B Minor Partita
Rita Wang, violin

Cage But what about the noise of crumpling paper …
Christopher Watford with ensemble of small instruments

jazz improvisation
Derek Beckwold, John Cheadle, saxophone

Scelsi Canti del Capricorno
Ceceilia Allwein, voice

Beethoven Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 90
Aaron Likness, piano

noise improvisation
Mark Johnson

group improvisation