Thursday, January 14, 2016

Picosa | A musical Mosaic | Chamber Mondays Series

By TOM BOWSER


The free Chicago Chamber Musicians hosts an interesting variety of musicians and musical styles. Concerts are held every Monday at 12:15 pm in the breathtaking Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center. Concerts are sponsored by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Chamber Monday concerts are a great lunch break if you work or attend school downtown. These concerts are also an excellent opportunity for music students to network, watch and learn from professional musicians.

Elizabeth Brausa BrathwaiT-Sara Sitzer-Joann Cho-Andrea DiOrio-Jennie Brown-Picosa-Chamber Mondays Concert Series - Chicago Cultural Center - Photo by Tom Bowser

Classical music needs to evolve in order to stay relevant and attract new, younger audiences. Ensembles like Picosa help expand the definition and perception of "classical" music. Picosa looks forward by choosing to play the works of contemporary composers using contemporary technologies. Picosa links the present and future with the past through it's performance of standard works composed by the "masters" of classical music. Visit PicosaMusic.com to learn more about Picosa.

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Jeffrey Panko-Andrea DiOrio-Picosa-Chamber Mondays Concert Series - Chicago Cultural Center - Photo by Tom Bowser Elizabeth Brausa Brathwaite-Sara Sitzer-Joann Cho-Andrea DiOrio-Jennie Brown-Picosa-Chamber Mondays Concert Series - Chicago Cultural Center - Photo by Tom Bowser

Picosa played to a receptive and appreciative audience. Picosa's performances were well rehearsed and professionally presented (even though the room seemed unusually cold). I enjoyed the diversity of music they performed. It's always exciting to discover something new during my exploration of Chicago's music scene. Picosa performed works by a number of contemporary composers I had not previously heard of. Jonathon Kirks arrangement of Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun worked very nicely for the Picosa ensemble. My wife and I both enjoyed the concert. I highly recommend you schedule time to see a Picosa performance.

Elizabeth Brausa Brathwaite-Jeffrey Panko-Sara Sitzer-Picosa-Chamber Mondays Concert Series - Chicago Cultural Center - Photo by Tom Bowser


Mondays performance included a unique opportunity to hear flutist Jennie Brown perform "Wraith" accompanied by the composer Jonathon Kirk. Jonathon Kirk used contemporary digital effects technologies to interact and react in real time to Jennie Browns live, electronically modified flute performance. What makes this type of performance especially unique and interesting is it can never be performed exactly the same way twice. Cool! They both did a great job.

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Jennie Brown-Picosa-Chamber Mondays Concert Series - Chicago Cultural Center - Photo by Tom Bowser


Picosa:
  • Jennie Brown, flute
  • Andrea R. DiOrio, clarinet
  • Elizabeth Brausa Brathwaite, violin
  • Sara Sitzer, cello
  • Jeffrey Panko, piano
  • Joann Cho, piano
  • Jonathon Kirk, composer, electroncs


Picosa performed:

Hospital Suite for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano by Felipe Perez Santiago
- Vesiculobiliar
- Neurocardiogenico

Wraith for flute and electronics by Jonathon Kirk

Circulo, op. 91 for violin, cello, piano by Joaquin Turina
- Dawn
- Midday
- Dusk

Three Miniatures for clarinet and piano by Krzysztof Penderecki
- Allegro
- Andante cantabile
- Allegro ma non troppo

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano by Claude Debussy. Arranged by Jonathon Kirk.