Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, 4:00 p.m.
East Building Auditorium at the National Gallery of Art, 4th & Constitution NW, Washington, D.C.

World premiere screening of Eva Soltes’ extraordinary documentary film that intimately explores the life and music of an American maverick. Remarks by Eva Soltes.

Friday, March 4, 2011, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

A conference / concert with the Wesleyan University Gamelan, Eva Soltes, and Harrison scholar Bill Alves. An exploration of the influence of Javanese culture on the music and life of Lou Harrison — and the influence of Western culture on Indonesia.

Saturday, March 5, 2011, 8:00 p.m.
Lisner Auditorium at the George Washington University.

Lou Harrison (1917-2003) is a great California composer whose music is little heard in the Eastern United States. Drawing on the fragrant poetry of Indonesian gamelan music, he achieved a serene synthesis of Western and Eastern modes.

The Los Angeles Times‘s Mark Swed called his monumental Piano Concerto the supreme American achievement in this form. Join us for a unique opportunity to sample the life and work of an American master in a special evening combining gamelan, film, and orchestra.

Program
Traditional: Javanese gamelan music.
Harrison: Concerto for Piano and Javanese Gamelan, movement one (1986-87). Lisa Moore, piano.
Harrison: Bubaran Robert for Trumpet and Javanese Gamelan (1976/1981). Chris Gekker, trumpet.
Intermission.
Harrison: Piano Concerto (1985). Benjamin Pasternack, piano.
Harrison: Four Strict Songs for chorus and orchestra (1955). André Lamar Smith, soloist.
Discussion with the artists.

Artists
Piano
Benjamin Pasternack, Lisa Moore

Trumpet
Chris Gekker

Post-Classical Ensemble
Angel Gil-Ordóñez, conductor

The Wesleyan University Gamelan Ensemble
Sumarsam and Harjito, directors

The George Washington University Chamber Singers
Gisele Becker, director
André Lamar Smith, baritone

Film Clips
From Eva Soltes’ documentary Lou Harrison: A World of Music

Commentary
Bill Alves

Violin 1
David Salness, Concertmaster
Claudia Chudaco
Reiko Niiya-Chow
Cristina Constantinescu
Jennifer Rickard
Jonathan Richards

Violin 2
Sally McLain, Principal
Erika Sato
Jennifer Himes
Alexandra Mikhlin
Lisa Cridge

Viola
Chris Shieh, Principal
Paul Swantek
Greg Rupert
Chelsey Green

Cello
Kerry van Laanen, Principal
Marion Baker
Sean Neidlinger

Bass
Marta Bradley, Principal
Bob Kurz

Tombone
Barry Hearne, Principal
Chris Clark
David Taylor

Percussion
Doug Wallace, Principal
Danny Villanueva
Chris de Chiara
Joanna Dabrowska

Harp
Caroline Hudson, Principal
Rebecca Smith

Piano
Kathryn Brake

Trumpet
Chris Gekker

Read the complete program, click here>

Read the review of Sublime Confluence: The Music of Lou Harrison, click here>

Listen to a 2002 interview of Lou Harrison (American Mavericks: An interview with Lou Harrison).

In collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy, the Film Division of the National Gallery of Art, The George Washington University, and Wesleyan University. This festival is made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Aaron Copland Fund for Music.