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FeNAM: Festival marks 30 years of new music diversity

Keynote speaker is accordionist and composer Pauline Oliveros

Sacramento State’s Festival of New American Music kicks off its 30th season on Thursday, Nov. 1, presenting a wide variety of innovative concert music across a spectrum of styles and genres.

The festival offers the best of contemporary American music through Nov. 11. Most of the concerts are in the Recital Hall of Capistrano Hall. And they’re free.

This year’s keynote speaker is accordionist and composer Pauline Oliveros, who will talk at noon on Nov. 1. She also will lead the Gala Performance at 8 p.m. that day, along with Sarah Cahill at the piano and Nancy Zeltsman on the marimba. In recognition of the three-decade milestone, the opening night’s reception following the concert will be expanded with all audience members and performers invited to the Redwood Room to enjoy even more live music and some wine and cheese.

Just what is “new music?” “It is pretty hard to define since there are so many different approaches. Some of the boundaries between categories are blurring,” says Sacramento State music professor Stephen Blumberg, the festival’s artistic director.

“New music” is basically modern classical music from the last 20 years, with special focus on music of the last five to 10 years.

While much of contemporary concert music is atonal and avant-garde, Blumberg says some composers are writing in more traditional styles, incorporating elements of jazz, rock, electronic or world music into their works. “There are a lot of influences from different styles and different types of music resulting in some interesting hybrids,” he says.

Blumberg started helping with the festival in 1997, becoming assistant director two years later. He became the artistic director last year, succeeding Daniel Kennedy.

Planning the festival is a year-round effort for Blumberg and co-director Keith Bohm. Most years the concert series will feature several mixed ensembles and solo artists, including at least one pianist and often a guitarist. One year it may favor brass and then focus on a different area, such as string quartets, the next year.

Blumberg points out that many contemporary music groups are comprised of a mixture of instruments, such as a flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion, “so it’s kind of a mini orchestra.” For more information, call the Music Department at  278-5155.

2007 Festival of New American Music

All events free

Thursday, November 1

Noon - Keynote Address: "Why Compose New Music?" with Pauline Oliveros, composer (Music Recital Hall)
3 p.m. - Masterclass with Monique Buzzarté, trombone (Capistrano Hall 151)
8 p.m. - Gala Performance, broadcast live on Capital Public Radio: Pauline Oliveros, composer/performer; Sarah Cahill, piano; Nancy Zeltsman, marimba (Music Recital Hall)
10 p.m. - 30th Anniversary Celebration with Masonic and MarsBassMan—Mason Bates, electronica and David Arend, bass (University Union Redwood Room)

Friday, November 2

11 a.m. - Composers Forum with Pauline Oliveros (Capistrano Hall 205)
Noon - Masterclass with Nancy Zeltzman, marimba (Capistrano Hall 151)
3 p.m. - Sacramento State Liberace Woodwind Quintet and Saxophone Quartet (University Library Gallery)
8 p.m. - The Music of Pauline Oliveros: Pauline Oliveros, performer/composer; Sarah Cahill, piano; Monique Buzzarte, trombone (Music Recital Hall)

Saturday, November 3

8 p.m. - Sonic Bloom, Central Valley Composers’ Collective, performed by Earplay (Music Recital Hall)

Sunday, November 4

3 p.m. - City Water (Capistrano Hall 151)
8 p.m. - Nancy Zeltsman, marimba, with the Sacramento State Percussion Group, Daniel Kennedy, director (Music Recital Hall)

Monday, November 5

11 a.m. - Composers Forum with Wayne Peterson (Capistrano Hall 321)
4 p.m. - Young Festival Performers' Masterclass with Sarah Cahill, piano
8 p.m. - Earplay performs "The Music of Wayne Peterson" (Music Recital Hall)

Tuesday, November 6

Noon - Composers Forum with Stephen Blumberg, also pianist Sarah Cahill (Capistrano Hall 205)
5:30 p.m. - Masterclass with Lawrence Gwozdz, saxophone (Capistrano Hall 151)
8 p.m. - Sarah Cahill, piano (Music Recital Hall)

Wednesday, November 7

Noon - Derek Keller Group (University Union Redwood Room)
3 p.m. - Sacramento State Student Artists Competition (Music Recital Hall)
8 p.m. - Lawrence Gwozdz, saxophone with Amber Shay Nicholson, piano

Thursday, November 8

3 p.m. - Composers Forum with Mason Bates (Capistrano Hall 205)
5 p.m. - Young Festival Performers Recital (Music Recital Hall)
8 p.m. - Sacramento State Festival Ensemble, comprised of Sacramento State faculty (Music Recital Hall)

Friday, November 9

10 a.m. - Composers Forum with Ronald Bruce Smith (Capistrano Hall 205)
11 a.m. - Composers Forum with Ingrid Stölzel and David D. McIntire (Capistrano Hall 205)
Noon - Masterclass with Thomas Aber, clarinet/bass clarinet (Capistrano Hall 223)
Noon - Masterclass with Jan Faidley, saxophone (Capistrano Hall 319)
Noon - Masterclass with Margaret Marco, oboe (Capistrano Hall 321)
2 p.m. - Masterclass with Mark Lowry, percussion (Capistrano Hall 329)
3 p.m. - Sacramento State Student Composers Recital (Capistrano Hall 151)
8 p.m. - newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble (Music Recital Hall)

Saturday, November 10

3 p.m. - Laurel Zucker, flute: "Inflorescence: Music for Solo Flute" (Center for Contemporary Art, 1519 19th Street)
8 p.m. - David Tanenbaum, guitar (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1430 J Street, Sacramento)

Sunday, November 11

3 p.m. - Sacramento State Jazz Singers and C-Sus, Kerry Marsh, director (Music Recital Hall)
8 p.m. - Sacramento State Jazz Ensemble, Steve Roach, director, with guest artists Scott Whitfield, composer/ trombonist and Ginger Berglund, vocals (Music Recital Hall)