Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the School of Music at Illinois are exploring the diversity of today’s contemporary music scene during the months of February and March.
Sonic Illinois is a revival of the spirit of the University of Illinois Festival of Contemporary Arts, which was a major cultural force in the mid-20th century. The campus and community are invited to explore composers, musicians and scholars who continue to challenge conventions, forge new pathways and expand the creative process through a variety of performances throughout Krannert Center’s spaces.
This celebration includes historic compositions, global contemporary artists, University of Illinois School of Music ensembles and works by Illinois faculty and students. Audiences can look forward to hearing pieces by Steve Reich, Astor Piazzolla, Joel Love and Steven Bryant; School of Music composers Carlos Carrillo and Stephen Taylor; and student composer Zhaoyu Zhang.
Guest artists include Kronos Quartet, So Percussion, Eighth Blackbird, Third Coast Percussion and Rachel Barton Pine, performing with the U. of I. Symphony Orchestra.
Featured colleagues from the U. of I. include the Jupiter String Quartet, with special guest Chungliang Al Huang, who performed in Krannert Center’s 1969 inaugural events; the artists of Lyric Theatre at Illinois featured in “The Rape of Lucretia;” Lishan Xue, the 2018 Krannert Center debut artist; and many others.
The Illinois Wind Symphony will perform a concert featuring the School of Music’s professor of saxophone Debra Richtmeyer as a soloist. The Illinois Modern Ensemble will present two concerts in March. The March 1 performance will feature the Jupiter String Quartet, So Percussion, and School of Music professor of cello Dmitry Kouzov; the March 13 performance will feature the U. of I. Percussion Ensemble.
See complete concert details at KrannertCenter.com
Feb 7: Jupiter String Quartet with Chungliang Al Huang, Tai Ji master
Feb. 14: Electroacoustic Concert
Feb. 16: Eighth Blackbird and Third Coast Percussion: Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians”
Feb. 17: UI Symphony Orchestra with Rachel Barton Pine, violin
Feb. 17: Illinois Wind Symphony
Feb. 21-24: “The Rape of Lucretia”
Feb. 27: A Thousand Thoughts – A Live Documentary with Kronos Quartet
March 1: Illinois Modern Ensemble
March 13: Illinois Modern Ensemble and UI Percussion Ensemble
