Convergences VI – Patricia Brennan // Richard Valitutto
4/18/19, 8:00pm

Pianist Richard Valitutto invites listeners to reflect on the modern/postmodern dialectic in a program of solos by Rebecca Saunders, György Kurtág, Artur Avanesov, and a premiere by Thomas Feng. With a focus on contemporary keyboard performance, Grammy-nominated pianist Richard Valitutto is a soloist, chamber musician, vocal accompanist, and composing/improvising creative. Described as a “vivid soloist,” “quietly dazzling,” and “vigorously virtuosic” (LA Times), he is also a member of the critically acclaimed wild Up Modern Music Collective and the “startlingly versatile” (NY Times) quartet, gnarwhallaby. A Sage Fellow in Cornell University’s DMA program, he also holds degrees in piano performance from the California Institute of the Arts (MFA) and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (BM, summa cum laude).

“Kaleidoscope” features a combination of composition and improvisation for solo vibraphone and marimba by Patricia Brennan. Previously recorded in August 2018, this project is a documentation of a sonic and personal journey using mallet percussion as a vessel. From standard forms to exploring sonic textures via extended techniques and electronic effects, each piece in this project creates a unique experience. The name Kaleidoscope is due to the meaning of its ancient greek roots: “beautiful”, “form, shape”, “to look, to examine” since the goal of this project is to explore the beauty of sound in its many forms. The record is expected to be released in 2019.