The Green Music Center at Sonoma State University has announced its spring season of online conversations and performances, with nearly a dozen events scheduled through May 9.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet featuring Wynton Marsalis will kick off the spring season on Jan. 30, with a new work Marsalis wrote in response to the political, social and economic struggles of 2020. The performance was recorded last September on the Lincoln Center Main Stage in New York City.
There will be two free programs from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s “Front Row: National” series, including a performance by the Calidore String Quartet on Feb. 6 and Bach: The Complete Brandenburg Concertos on April 3.
Most of the programs include conversations and interviews with the artists, interspersed with videos of some of their favorite performances.
“We call it The Green Room, which is inspired by our name and the green room in theaters,” said Jacob Yarrow, executive director of the Green Music Center. “The season offers a great variety of different artists working in different sorts of ways, and it builds on the fall season.”
After creating their own interviews last fall, Yarrow said the staff have learned a lot about the format and how to integrate it with the performances.
“We’ve learned how to build it organically from what the artist is exploring and the amazing videos they have to share,” he said. “We’ve developed a nice format for the shows, and it allows us to get to know artists better and hear their process. Then the videos are much more revealing and informative.”
Tickets are $10 for each show or $70 for a subscription to the eight ticketed shows. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday. To reserve: gmc.sonoma.edu
“We want to serve our audience, impact our students and offer work to our musicians,” Yarrow said. “Whoever pays for a subscription is helping us continue forward.”
Here is the lineup of 10 shows, plus one bonus show for donors and those who subscribe:
7 p.m. Jan. 30
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents “The Democracy! Suite” featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet led by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.
The set of swinging jazz tunes was composed by Marsalis during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and celebrates jazz’s embodiment of freedom and democracy.
“It’s fresh music,” Yarrow said. “The performance … comes from the Lincoln Center Main Stage and looks out over Columbus Circle (in New York City).”
7 p.m. Feb. 4
First appearing last fall, Michael Mwenso’s Black Music Series returns with “Episode 4: Mwenso & the Shakes.”
“He’s an amazing performer and singer, and we have not explored his own band, Mwenso & the Shakes,” Yarrow said. “It will be a live performance of this fresh video of some new music.”
3 p.m. Feb. 6
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s “Front Row: National” program series presents the Calidore Quartet in concert, performing Mendelssohn and Dvorak.
“It is free and available for five days,” Yarrow said.
7 p.m. Feb. 20
The Kronos Quartet returns with its “50 for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire,” a legacy and education project that is commissioning (and distributing for free) 50 new works for string quartet.
“They were here in 2019 and played some music from ‘50 for the Future’ then,” Yarrow said. “The project is for their 50th anniversary. They are one of the most astounding and accomplished ensembles ever.”
11 a.m. Feb. 27
The Alphabet Rockers band aims to shape a more equitable world through hip-hop music and inspire kids to stand up to hate. The band consists of several teen performers led by two adults.
“It’s a show for the whole family,” Yarrow said. “Schools will be watching the show, and we’re also going to have online visits to classes, including SSU and other partner schools.”
7 p.m. March 11
The L.A.-based Quetzal band blends influences from Chicano rock, rhythm and blues, Cuban batá, punk and Motown soul while building creative and political bridges in the community as they advocate for social justice.
“They have been part of East L.A. for decades,” Yarrow said. “They have done a lot of interesting organization during the pandemic, helping people get access to care.”
7 p.m. April 1
Clear Creek Creative will discuss their theatrical work, “Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man,” an environmental, cultural and spiritual parable rooted in the foothills of Appalachia.
“It’s generally about how we manage our natural resources and how the climate is changing in relationship to that,” Yarrow said. “There’s one performer in the play … and there’s beautiful video of past performances.”
3 p.m. April 3
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s “Front Row: National” program series presents Bach: The Complete Brandenburg Concertos. The program is free.
7 p.m. April 8
Michael Mwenso’s Black Music Series continues with “Our Own Journeys,” with vocalists Vuyo Sotashe and Julies Latimer giving perspectives on the LGBTQ+ experience in a discussion led by Mwenso.
“It gives us a chance to dig into their personal experiences as people who identify as queer or LGBTQ and what that’s been like in jazz,” Yarrow said. “They did the ‘Harlem 100’ (multimedia show) in 2019 here.“
3 p.m. May 9
The St. Lawrence String Quartet, renowned for their rock ’n’ roll energy and audience engagement, will discuss and perform a program that explores the music of classical composer Franz Josef Haydn.
“They are known for doing Haydn discovery concerts,” Yarrow said. “They will make a Green Room show that will focus on Haydn … and why they love to play it.”
Bonus concert: 3 p.m. March 6
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Society presents “Winds from Different Lands,” a bonus concert for donors and subscribers only. The program includes woodwind ensembles performing works by Mozart, Balakirev, Barber and Poulenc.
Staff Writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 707-521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56
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