Works by four living composers will be refracted through PRISM on today’s Noontime Concert on The Classical Network.
PRISM Quartet, the Philadelphia-based saxophone ensemble, will be heard on a concert given on April 3 at First Presbyterian Church of Ypsilanti as part of its Southeast Michigan residency. The musicians will be joined by two of the nation’s leading jazz artists, saxophonist Diego Rivera and trombonist Michael Dease, both of whom serve on the faculty of Michigan State University. Rivera and Dease will combine with PRISM to perform works commissioned by way of the ensemble’s Heritage/Evolution project. Heritage/Evolution spotlights the talents of some of the day’s most inventive jazz artists.
The program will include commissioned pieces “Name Day,” by Tim Ries, and selections from “15 Places at the Same Time,” by Steve Lehman, alongside “heteronym” by rising star Emily Koh, composer + bassist.
We’ll also hear a selection by David Serkin Ludwig, “Josquin Microludes,” from PRISM’s 2016 album, “The Curtis Project,” made up of saxophone music written by composers from the Curtis Institute of Music.
Ludwig, who studied at Curtis with Jennifer Higdon and Richard Danielpour and at Juilliard with John Corigliano has himself been part of Curtis’ composition faculty since 2010. He also holds degrees from Oberlin, the Manhattan School, and the University of Pennsylvania. Ludwig is artistic director of Curtis’ 20/21 Contemporary Music Ensemble.
Spurring questions of nature versus nurture, this musician has quite the distinguished pedigree. His uncle is Peter Serkin. His grandfather was Rudolf Serkin, and his great-grandfather was Adolf Busch. Rudolf Serkin, in addition to being one of the great pianists, was director of the Curtis Institute from 1968 to 1976. With flutist Marcel Moyse, he and Busch established the Marlboro School of Music and Festival: Official Page, the famed chamber music retreat located in Marlboro, VT, in 1951.
Ludwig will visit the WWFM studios for a chat with David Osenberg this afternoon at 4 p.m. EDT. His monodrama, “The Anchoress,” will receive its world premiere on October 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, under the auspices of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. PRISM will combine with soprano Hyunah Yu and Piffaro, The Renaissance Band. The program will also include Ludwig’s “Our Long War,” “Josquin Microludes,” “Three Anchoress Songs,” performed by flutist Mimi Stillman and saxophonist Matthew Levy, and some arrangements of music by Renaissance master Guillaume de Machaut.
I hope you’ll join me, beginning at noon today, for new music performed by PRISM and friends, and that you’ll stick around for works by Camille Saint-Saëns and Einohjuhani Rautavaara on their birthdays. You won’t even have to sign a card. As always, the party favors will be in the form of music, from 12 to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
