For the first time, Boston Court reimagines its summer music series as a weeklong festival, featuring collaborations from some of LA's most exciting contemporary performers. DuoFest celebrates collaboration in unexpected and adventurous ways, like only Boston Court can.

On Night 3 of the fest, the serious lover of new music has a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation process. Synchromy, in collaboration with Boston Court, has selected undergraduate composition students who will be given the opportunity to hear and workshop their new works with professional musicians, as well as get feedback on their pieces from the musicians, professional coaches, and the audience!

Admission is free!

The Dog Star Orchestra is an ensemble and a once-a-year festival of experimental music, started in 2005 by Michael Pisaro as a way of playing recent experimental music by young composers and classic pieces from the experimental tradition. Described as “messily exceptional” by the Los Angeles Times, Dog Star events happen throughout the Los Angeles area and often feature offbeat performances in out-of-the-way places, alongside more traditional concert settings.

This concert will feature:

Jordan Dykstra: Pitch Gradient with Noise in D♮

John Eagle: tuning #3, I. Ascending

Jordan Dykstra and ensemble

Emily Call, violin

Admission: Free

For more information, visit dogstarorchestra.com

Southland Ensemble, joined by members of the Dog Star Orchestra, performs text scores by experimental composer Pauline Oliveros.

Featuring:

Ear Piece

Pebble Music

Papericity

Arctic Air

Rock Piece

This concert is part of the Soundwaves New Music series, which features artists whose work appears on the DRAM streaming service. It is also part of the 13th annual Dog Star Orchestra festival of experimental music, presented around Southern California by Michael Pisaro.

Admission: Free

For more information, visit soundwavesnewmusic.com

or southlandensemble.com

KNOWLEDGES at Mount Wilson Observatory brings together a constellation of contemporary Los Angeles artists whose work extends from the nexus of ideas embodied by the Observatory itself: astronomy, scientific discovery, space exploration, optics, recorded observation, philosophical questions of cosmology, the history, aesthetics and ecology of the site and its influence upon the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. The exhibition concept is to create a site-specific dialogue between artists and the working Observatory. Many Los Angeles artists create work that is informed by technological and scientific discoveries that take place right here in Southern California–from the use of new materials created for the aerospace industry to aesthetic sensibilities informed by popular space photography, but they have never investigated their source. KNOWLEDGES’ exhibitions contextualize aesthetics and inquiries developing in art, and how they participate in dialogue with innovations in science and astronomy.

Jennifer will play a new work by Scott Benzel for string quartet, dancers, anvil, and the rotation of the 100 foot telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory. Performances will begin at 4:00pm, 5:00pm and 6:00pm.

Admission: Free

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit knowledges.org

KNOWLEDGES at Mount Wilson Observatory brings together a constellation of contemporary Los Angeles artists whose work extends from the nexus of ideas embodied by the Observatory itself: astronomy, scientific discovery, space exploration, optics, recorded observation, philosophical questions of cosmology, the history, aesthetics and ecology of the site and its influence upon the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. The exhibition concept is to create a site-specific dialogue between artists and the working Observatory. Many Los Angeles artists create work that is informed by technological and scientific discoveries that take place right here in Southern California–from the use of new materials created for the aerospace industry to aesthetic sensibilities informed by popular space photography, but they have never investigated their source. KNOWLEDGES’ exhibitions contextualize aesthetics and inquiries developing in art, and how they participate in dialogue with innovations in science and astronomy.

Jennifer will play a new work by Scott Benzel for string quartet, dancers, anvil, and the rotation of the 100 foot telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory. Performances will begin at 4:00pm, 5:00pm and 6:00pm.

Admission: Free

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit knowledges.org

Cal State San Bernardino Opera Theatre director Stacey Fraser will produce and direct back-to-back performances of Robert Xavier Rodriguez’s compositions Monkey See Monkey Do and Tango on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13.

Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the CSUSB Performing Arts Building Recital Hall. Tickets for the show are $15 for general admission; $12 for senior citizens, CSUSB faculty and staff; and $8 for students.

The first performance, Monkey See Monkey Do, is a children’s opera based on a Mexican folktale, and features music that integrates both the European aesthetic and the traditional folk music of Mexico. In the spotlight will be CSUSB opera theatre students and San Francisco-based guest soprano, Morgan Harrington.

Tango is a one-act comic concert opera for tenor solo and chamber ensemble and also integrates a confluence of musical cultures: that of the Argentinian tango tradition as well as the European operatic tradition. The piece will showcase professional dancers Faith Jensen-Ismay and Robby Johnson of the critically acclaimed San Diego-based dance company, Mojalet Dance Collective.

Performances will be held on May 12, 13, 14 @ 7:30pm

Tickets: $15 General / $12 Senior / $8 Student

For more information, call the CSUSB Department of Music at (909) 537- 5859, or visit the department website at 

music.csusb.edu

Join Los Angeles composer DANIEL CORRAL in celebrating his new album REFRACTIONS, which is being released by Populist Records!

Refractions will be performed in it’s entirety, and there will be a short opening duo set by vocalist/violinist Rahman Baranghoori and violinist Timothy Maloof.

Refractions is a 44 minute electro-acoustic chamber piece that expands on Corral's 10 years of exploring the sonic and sculptural possibilities of music boxes. Composed for string quartet, electric guitar, and electronically processed music box, Refractions combines ethereal ambient electronics with contemplative acoustic timbres. Corral will be joined by guitarist Jeremy Kerner and the Koan Quartet.

Rahman Baranghoori (vocals and violin) and Timothy Maloof (violin) have been friends and colleagues since 2004, performing in many ensembles and bands together. They will be performing improvisations and songs based on Persian Mugam and Arabic Maqamat (modes).

Diagenesis Duo comes to Sound Gallery to present their latest project, Different Kinds of Light, a concert inspired by the experimental poetry of Jackson Mac Low.

Jackson Mac Low was a pioneer in chance and open poetry and created poems that could be performed as music. Featured in the concert will be Mac Low’s Tree Movie, Young Turtle Asymmetries, 54th Light Poem, and Numbered Asymmetries, and a world premiere of Different Kinds of Light, a composition for soprano and cello by Marti Epstein which sets Jackson Mac Low’s  1st Light Poem. This combination of text scores, graphic scores, and contemporary music create a contemplative and unrepeatable evening of chance music and poetry.

The concert will be preceded by a reception at 7:00 p.m., which will include wine, delicious snacks, and socializing. There is no ticket charge for the concert. A pay-what-you-can donation is welcome.

The Dog Star Orchestra festival of experimental music enters its 13th season this summer, with eleven (11) concerts and happenings planned throughout Los Angeles between June 3-17. Being that 13 is a ripe age for a Dog, we're maturing our tactics and presenting a special launch party and preview on the afternoon of April 30. 

The event takes place at Abby Sher's beautiful home and gardens in the Pacific Palisades (RSVP for address: RSVP@dogstarorchestra.com) and will feature:

• Announcement of the events happening in this year's festival, brought to you in stereo by James Klopfleisch !!
• A special performance of Jürg Frey's 3rd String Quartet by the inimitable Koan Quartet !!
• Something, presumably a performance, by Liam Mooney !!
• A live auction of experimental music goods and services, with proceeds benefitting the festival !!
• Experimental and very good beer from Solarc Brewing !!

Please join us to celebrate the community of experimental performers and musicians that allows this kind of nonsense to thrive.

Facebook Event HERE

Southland Ensemble presents an evening of Anthony Braxton's Ghost Trance Music. Written between 1995 - 2006, Braxton created over 100 of these compositions that serve as pathways between different notation systems and musical idioms. 

Composition No. 228

Composition No. 245

Composition No. 358

with special guests:

Corey Fogel, Chris Foss, Andrew Munsey, Leah Paul, Kathy Pisaro, Stephanie Richards, Dave Tranchina & Argenta Walther

Tickets: $20 general / $10 student

Advance: $10 / $7.50

More information at southlandensemble.com