SFCMP on STAGE series
Oceanic Migrations
On September 14, 2019, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players will open their 2019-2020 season with a stunning assembly of forces for the world premiere of a new, concert-length, site-responsive work by Bang On A Can founding composer Michael Gordon.
At the Cowell Theater at Fort Mason Cultural Center, within view of the Golden Gate and San Francisco Bay, SFCMP will present the first ever performance of this piece for twenty-one musicians–joining together for the first time the SF Contemporary Music Players with the Grammy Award-winning vocal octet Roomful of Teeth and Bay Area wind quintet Splinter Reeds. From its seat across the Bay, Angel Island serves as a focal point for this powerful new work's exploration of the larger themes embedded in the history of immigration to the Americas.
The eight-voice ensemble Roomful of Teeth–known for their ongoing work in the study of pan-global vocal styles and the creation of a new repertoire without borders–will be a vehicle for the narrative element, while the adventurous virtuosity of Splinter Reeds and SFCMP will interact with and augment the work's drama through instrumental means. By virtue of its connection to the shared and tangible experiences of diverse peoples in the Bay Area and the larger scope of U.S. history, Gordon's piece will be a watershed exploration of issues at the forefront of our local and national dialogue.
Guests are invited to visit Angel Island: an educational installation about this project will be on view at Immigration Station Barracks, September 7 - 14. All Angel Island ticket holders will receive free access to the evening's concert. Bring your ferry ticket to the concert!
The evening's concert will be preceded by a talk with composer Michael Gordon, archivists, historians, and local residents sharing stories about their family members or their own personal experiences passing through Angel Island years ago.
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SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER 7 - 14, 2019
Location: Angel Island State Park, Tiburon, CA 94920
Educational multimedia installation about the creation and development of this project showing at the historical Immigration Station Barracks on Angel Island. (All patrons with an Angel Island ferry ticket can attend the evening concert for free. Bring your Angel Island ticket to the concert)
SEPTEMBER 14, 2019
Location: Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, Cowell Theater, 2 Marina Blvd. SF, CA 94123
7:00pm, Pre-concert discussion with composer Michael Gordon and Bay Area residents who have personal experiences connected to Angel Island facilitated by Eric Dudley
8:00pm, Concert (There will be a post-concert reception following the evening’s performance)