Lafayette String Quartet performs "Fox Hollow" in California, Feb. 21-25

Here is the schedule for the upcoming California tour by the Lafayette String Quartet, featuring Fox Hollow. The program also includes the Schubert Quartet in A minor, No. 13, Op 29, "Rosamunde"; and the Dvorak String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, with violist Pamela Freund-Striplen.

Follow the links below for details.

• Friday, February 21, 3:00 PM - Open rehearsal, Saint Mary’s College (www.gcplayers.org)
• Friday, February 21, 7:30 PM - Lafayette Library, Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo, Blvd., Lafayette. Includes a pre-concert talk by the composer (www.gcplayers.org)
• Sunday, February 23, 2:00 PM - Danville Village Theatre, 233 Front Street, Danville (www.gcplayers.org)
• Monday, February 24, 3:20 PM - Master class, open to the public. San Domenico School, San Rafael (www.sandomenico.org)
• Tuesday, February 25, 8:00 PM - Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley (www.berkeleychamberperform.org)

Update on 2014-03-02 00:31 by David A. Jaffe

Just finished a whirlwind week with the Lafayette String Quartet. Friday afternoon's open rehearsal was hosted by composer and friend Martin Rokeach, who came with a stack of copies of the score for his students, then joined us for dinner. That night's concert began with a pre-concert lecture, in which I demonstrated the fretless banjo I obtained at Fox Hollow in the early 1970s. The Quartet then gave a top-notch performance of the work. Sunday's performance was equally refined; to a composer, when musicians bring such a sense of dedication and commitment to a work, it is a great gift. Monday's trip to San Domenico School was a highlight of the trip, as the Quartet and I had an opportunity to coach the gifted high school string players in their preparation of a concert of challenging works by women composers. This was followed by an informal performance and discussion of Fox Hollow. A special thanks to Ann Krinitsky and Eugene Chukhlov for hosting this event. Finally, Tuesday's Berkeley performance to a sold-out crowd was a fitting end to the tour. I wish to express my thanks to Gold Coast Chamber Players and Berkeley Chamber Performances.

Photos from Open Space performance of The Space Between Us

String players surrounded the audience...

Robotic instruments created by Trimpin from Henry Brant's percussion (note hanging chimes)...

Robotics performed by Andrew Schloss via Radiodrum, a 3D controller...

Photos courtesy of B. Macdonald and Miles Giesbrecht.

Video posted of premiere of "The Library of Babel" for two marimbas

Video from the premiere performance of The Library of Babel.

Upcoming Jaffe Festival in Victoria, B.C., Canada

I will be up in Victoria the week of November 3-10 for a Jaffe Festival, which will include three concerts of my music, including a world premiere, and including compositions that span more than three decades.

As the Orion Fellow of the University of Victoria, I will be presenting a lecture (November 6) and concert of "Silicon Valley Breakdown," presented in its rarely-heard quadraphonic format, with a newly-restored copy of the tape. I will also be addressing the Composition Seminar and teaching a class.

Following this (November 8) will be a concert at Open Space, including the world premiere of "Fox Hollow" for string quartet, commissioned by the Lafayette String Quartet, as well as the Canadian premiere of "The Space Between Us," for radiodrum, Trimpin instruments, and eight strings, the Canadian premiere of "Impossible Animals," version for trombone and tape, and other pieces. The concert is rounded out by "Cluck Old Hen Variations," for solo violin.

Finally, on November 9th is a concert at the University of Victoria focusing on my music for guitars and plucked strings. Program details on the Victoria Guitar Society web site. Most of the pieces on this concert are Canadian premieres. I'll be playing the 5-string banjo on "City Life" and mandolin on "Grass Valley Fire, 1988." In addition, the concert will include "May All Your Children Be Acrobats," for eight guitars, voice and computer-generated sound, "Three Musicians, after the Picasso paintings," for viola and guitar, and "A Little Kid Sees a Skyscraper," for two quarter-tone-tuned guitars.

All in all, eleven works will be presented.

Video posted of three improv pieces

Some new video of excerpts of recent improvisation-based pieces for Radio Drum and robotic percussion:

• NotomotoN Unstrung, improvisational experiments combining mandolins, robot percussion and Radio Drum
• 8' 66" for Trimpin, for Trimpin installation (CannonX+4:33=100), singer/dancer and Radio Drum
• Maha-Devi-Bot Variations, for robot Indian percussionist and Radio Drum