Opus 21 returns to Kerrytown Concert House with six multicultural world premiere commissions

ANN ARBOR – The eight-member contemporary music ensemble Opus 21 returns to Ann Arbor for the world premiere of six newly commissioned works focusing on the influence of world cultures on art music in the United States. The concert, which follows last season's sold out performance, will take place on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. at the Kerrytown Concert House, located at 415 N. Fourth Ave in Ann Arbor.
Earlier this year, both Opus 21 and Kerrytown Concert House were recognized nationally with First Prize Awards for Adventurous Programming from Chamber Music America and ASCAP (in the categories of new music ensemble and jazz presenter, respectively). This concert brings together two of the nation's leading proponents of innovative music programming in a collaborative event.
The concert will include world premieres written specifically for this occasion by six American composers, including former composer-in-residence of the New York Philharmonic Tania Leon and eight-time Grammy Award-winning jazz legend Paquito D'Rivera, both of whom are Cuban-American and have incorporated elements of Cuban music into their compositions. Each of the other works being premiered draws on a different influence from around the globe, including compositions by Chen Yi (China), Kamran Ince (Turkey), Martin Bresnick (Spain), and Trent Kynaston (Central America). In addition, Opus 21 will perform a classic work by Steve Reich inspired by African and Balinese music and a recent composition by Evan Ziporyn that incorporates influences from Japan and Kenya.
"Art is often a reflection of society," says Opus 21's founder and artistic director, Richard Adams, "and the growing multiculturalism of the United States can be seen in much of the music being written today. Some composers draw on their personal or family roots for inspiration, while others are influenced by music they have heard or encountered in their travels. People now have much greater access to the music of other cultures than they had even a few decades ago."
The ease with which one can listen to music via the Internet or purchase CDs from around the world makes it possible to hear authentic music from a wide variety of cultures, Adams continued. "The works on this concert are a sampling of the efforts of composers who are incorporating international influences into their music and creating new American voices that reflect our increasingly diverse society."
Now in its third season, Opus 21 has established itself as a truly innovative new music group and has captured the attention of audiences from Michigan to New York City. The ensemble has revamped the traditional concert-going experience by presenting side-by-side a diversity of art music and crossover works geared toward audiences with eclectic, wide-ranging musical tastes. Opus 21 is committed to the annual commissioning and premiering of new works by both established and emerging American composers, and over the past two seasons has commissioned 14 new works from a diverse group of classical, jazz and pop music composers.
The members of the ensemble are Renata Artman Knific (violin), Tim Froncek (drums), Tom Knific (bass), Trent Kynaston (saxophone), Judy Moonert (percussion), Gregory Secor (percussion), Bradley Wong (clarinet) and Stephen Zegree (piano).
Tickets to the concert range from $10 (general admission) to $25 (reserved seating). Student tickets are $5.
http://www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com.