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Festival of New American Music
About the Festival of New American Music
November 6–10, 2022
The Festival of New American Music brings extraordinary musicians to Sacramento, California, each year to present high-quality performances of a broad body of recently composed or improvised music by some of America’s most exciting artists. This year marks the 45th annual Festival—and a return to live, in-person events!
Through public concerts, educational events, and outreach, the Festival serves three principal communities: those of the Sacramento State School of Music; the California State University, Sacramento; and the greater Sacramento region.
Committed to making music accessible to all, the Festival offers all of its concerts free of charge to the public.
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FeNAM 2022
Gala Concert
Sunday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m.
The 45th Festival of New American Music opens with its annual gala concert showcasing several ensembles! Among this year's guests are the acclaimed, California-based chamber ensemble Earplay, and 28/78, the University of the Pacific's student-run new music ensemble, and tenor Curtis Bannister along with pianist John Cozza. Come hear some of the amazing music-making that is happening in our own backyard at this exciting event!
Curtis Bannister, tenor, and John Cozza, piano
Monday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m.
The 45th Festival of New American Music continues with tenor Curtis Bannister, along with pianist John Cozza, performign the works of Shawn Okpebholo. With an emanating career in theatre, opera, and film, Curtis Bannister is being lauded as one of the most dynamic multi-genre performing artists of his generation. 2022/23 season highlights include debuts with Theater LatteDa in the world premiere musical adaptation of the American classic, 12 Angry Men as well as his Kennedy Center debut as “Soloist 1”/covering the role of The Celebrant in Bernstein’s Mass, his debut with 5th Avenue Theater (Seattle) in The Wiz, and his feature film debut in Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
DuoXylo in Concert
Tuesday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m.
DuoXylo is a new ensemble making its debut at the 2022 Festival of New American Music. Percussionist Mckenzie Langefeld and bassoonist and Sacramento State alumnus Dorian Antipa have teamed up to seek and perform new and exciting works from a diverse community of composers who recognize the sonic potential of bassoon and percussion.
DuoXylo hopes to expand the relatively limited repertoire for the curious combination of bassoon and percussion. As such, this concert will feature two world premieres commissioned specifically for FeNAM by composers Brittany J. Green and Franklin Piland. Witness the birth of an exciting new music ensemble and two compositions in this unique program!
Local Voices
Wednesday, November 9, at 4:00 p.m.
FeNAM presents its fifth annual “Local Voices” concert featuring music by local composers presented by local performers. Come hear some of the amazing music the Sacramento region has to offer! The program features Joshua Anderson (clarinet), Cindy Behmer (oboe), Faythe Vollrath (harpsichord), Kirsten Smith (piano), Miroslav Hristrov (violin), and Chih-Long Hu (piano). With music by Scott Perkins, Libby Larsen, Monica Houghton, Steven Coolidge, Shuying Li, and more!
Earplay in Concert
Wednesday, November 9, at 7:00 p.m.
Following their gala performance on November 6, Earplay returns to FeNAM for an exciting concert of music written in the last five years. The concert also features three works Earplay has commissioned from local composers: Josiah Catalan, who teaches at Sacramento State; Laurie San Martin, who teaches at University of California, Davis; and Linda Bouchard, who is based in San Francisco. Other highlights include works by acclaimed composers Reena Esmail and Libby Larsen, the latter of whom is a featured FeNAM composer-in-residence this year. If you’ve ever wondered what a flute and viola sound like together, or a violin and a clarinet, this concert will be a great opportunity! Although there will be six instruments on the program—flute, clarinet, piano, violin, viola, and cello—audiences will often get to hear interesting combinations of just two or three of them at a time.
Music of Libby Larsen
Thursday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m.
Grammy Award-winner Libby Larsen is one of the country’s most celebrated, prolific, performed, and recorded composers. She has written over 500 works, and her music can be heard on over 50 recordings. Our closing concert of the 45th annual Festival of New American Music will be devoted entirely to Larsen’s music and will feature a piece for flute and background track, songs for soprano and piano, works for choir, and a violin concerto featuring Earplay’s Terrie Baune. Larsen, who will be in attendance, will coach the performers, including the Sacramento State Choirs and Symphony Orchestra, and soprano Carrie Hennessey, in rehearsals earlier in the week. Larsen will also give the festival’s keynote address during the concert. Join us in this monumental event and celebrate a luminary in American music!
