Chance Encounters

October 5, 2011 | 7:30pm
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago
MCA members $22 | Nonmembers $28 | Students $10

One evening in 1950, Morton Feldman and John Cage ran into each other on the way out after a performance of a piece by Anton Webern. This chance encounter was the beginning of a long and artistically fruitful friendship, which brought Feldman to the center of New York’s legendary experimental scene of the 1950's.

This program connects the dots between six of the most powerful and contrasting voices of our time, including works by fellow sound-explorers Pauline Oliveros, and Iannis Xenakis.

These composers had as much to say about the weight, space, and meaning of sound as any in our time, and ICE brings them together, under the baton of conductor and percussionist Steven Schick, for a new encounter.
 

Program:

Morton Feldman (1926-1987): Routine Investigations for oboe, trumpet, piano, viola, cello, and double bass (1976)
John Cage (1912-1992): 8’10” (arranged by ICE)
Pauline Oliveros (b. 1932): Double X for 8 players, (1979)
Anton Webern (1883-1945): Concerto for Nine Instruments for flute, oboe, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, piano, and horn (1934)
John Cage: Imaginary Landcape #4 for 12 radios and 24 players (1951)
Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001): Thallein for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, piano, and strings (1984)

Watch ICE rehearse Xenakis' Échange at Miller Theater

Download ICE's TRACING XENAKIS podcast

ICE’s 2011-12 MCA Performances are supported by generous grants from the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation, the Amphion Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and a CityArts Program 2 Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

photo by Joshua Bright