Gamelan Pacifica Presents: Lou Harrison at 100 Years – The Seattle Connection
$5-$15
Lou Harrison — Threnody for Carlos Chávez
Jennifer Kane, violin
Heather Bentley, viola
Paul Taub, flute
Bonnie Whiting, percussion
Lou Harrison – Suite for Violin and Percussion
Lou Harrison – Threnody for Carlos Chavez for viola and gamelan
Gamelan performers: Maggie Brown, Michael Dorrity, Stephen Fandrich, Ted Gill, Austin Larkin, Deena Manis, Anna McDermott, Richard Robinson, Stephanie Shadbolt, Matt Shoemaker, Jesse Snyder, Astrid Vinje. Jarrad Powell, director.
Gamelan Pacifica honors the centenary of the great American composer Lou Harrison, widely considered one of America's most original musical innovators. This rare chance to experience a live performance of Harrison's works for gamelan and percussion will feature Gamelan Pacifica, Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet, and special guests.
Gamelan Pacifica celebrates a long history of involvement with Harrison and his music, dating back to 1980 when the group first gave a concert of his music for gamelan during his residency at Cornish College of the Arts. More recently, their recording Scenes from Cavafy (2010) includes premiere recordings of major works by Harrison, including Concerto for Piano and Javanese Gamelan and A Soedjatmoko Set. Their most recent recording, Nourishment (2015), includes Harrison's Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Gamelan.
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Lou Harrison, considered one of America's most original composers and musical innovators, was a polymath who engaged in painting, calligraphy, type design, and poetry. He was a leading figure, along with his friend John Cage, in a movement called Drums Along the Pacific that saw the development of percussion ensemble music in the 1930s and 1940s. That exploration provided new sonic resources for young composers and changed the course of American concert music. Harrison made a deep study of both European music and various non-western music, including music of China, Korea, and Indonesia. The latter lead him to begin to explore instrument building as a way of activating gamelan-like sounds in his music. Eventually he became a pioneer of gamelan building and composition for gamelan.
He is aligned with other American maverick composers like Charles Ives, Edgard Varese, Carl Ruggles, Alan Hovhaness, Henry Cowell, and John Cage, who paved the way for the innovative American music of the 20th century. Harrison also actively championed political causes ranging from pacifism to environmentalism and gay rights. His music includes extensive chamber music, orchestral works, works for percussion, gamelan, as well as vocal music and two operas. He was an instrumental innovator, experimenting with percussion, tack piano, and gamelan, as well as non-western instruments.