Present Music 2002-2003 21st Season

Filled with Premieres, Celebrations and Works from Around the World

(June, 2002 - Milwaukee, WI) Present Music, Milwaukee's nationally acclaimed new music group, under the artistic leadership of Kevin Stalheim, has announced its 21st Season, with works from around the world, brought right to Milwaukee's door. These concerts will include works never performed in Milwaukee, favorites from Present Music's past, and works by some of the world's finest composers. Present Music will perform three of its concerts in the brand new Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts at UWM, two concerts in the Calatrava-designed Grand Reception Hall of the spectacular Milwaukee Art Museum and a Thanksgiving concert in the newly renovated Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Season ticket prices range from $125 for the Premium Subscription to $75 for the Bargain Subscription. Present Music subscriptions and season brochures can be requested by calling 414-271-0711 or visiting www.presentmusic.org.

CONCERTS

The first concert of 2002-2003 will be our SEASON OPENER AND PARTY on Friday, September 27, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. We launch the season in stunning style in the Grand Reception Hall of the Milwaukee Art Museum. We'll fly and soar and boil and burn with the American premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin's Turn Table Turn. Michael Torke brings Overnight Mail and drives us with brass and swinging sound. John Zorn delights us with his strange and compelling piece entitled Le Momo. Steve Reich will offer simplicity and minimalism with Nagoya Marimbas. The program will also include Kamran Ince's solo piano composition entitled In Memoriam. Respected pianist Phillip Bush is the featured soloist in Ince's piece. Following the performance will be a post-concert party as we celebrate the adventure of new music in a magnificent space.

A large chorus, elegant dancers, the mighty pipe organ, American Indian drumming and singing, and Present Music come together for another inspiring THANKSGIVING concert. This holiday celebration takes place on Sunday, November 24, 2002 at 4:00 p.m. in St. John's Cathedral. You'll hear the world premiere of We're All Here by Daron Hagen, and Song of Ezekiel by Michael Torke, the music of Osvaldo Golijov and James MacMillan performed by Present Music and the talented Brookfield Central High School Choir. Organist Karen Beaumont plays the riveting Fourths, Mostly by Michael Nyman and Danceworks dancers will move to the tender Gymnopodies of Eric Satie. The Bucks American Indian singing and drumming group again offer their mesmerizing rhythm and power to Present Music's Thanksgiving concert.

CRASH, Present Music's guest ensemble for this concert is one of a kind. They tap and strike, glide and crash, move, groove, click and pop. Composer Mary Ellen Child's imaginative group combines theatre, dance, and percussion in exhilarating and extraordinary ways. It all takes place on January 11, 2003 in Bader Hall of the new Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, the state-of-the-art hall recently acquired by UWM as a performance venue for their Music Department. As dramatic contrast to CRASH, the Present Music musicians will take you on an epic journey through one of Alfred Schnittke's greatest works, his Piano Quintet. Kamran Ince will add his World Premiere, Drawing, to the evening's entertainment.

Present Music joins Milwaukee's International Arts Festival featuring African, African-American, and American music with the concert entitled AFRICA/AMERICA, Saturday March 15, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. in Bader Hall of the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts. You'll hear and see master drummer and dancer Habib Iddrisu. Mr. Iddrisu comes from Ghana, West Africa, and has dazzled audiences throughout the world with his immense talent. You'll hear the African inspired masterpiece of Steve Reich -- Music for 18 Musicians. Rap? Gospel? You can depend on surprise from Present Music.

Boom box virtuoso composer Phil Kline comes from New York to work his magic on Milwaukee in BOOM, Saturday April 26, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. in the Milwaukee Art Museum's Grand Reception Hall. Known for his popular unsilent night public performances in New York City, Kline will engage the audience with a 100 boom box parade in and around the Art Museum. You'll hear the unpredictable quai una sinfonietta by Polish composer Pawel Szymanski. Present Music pianist Phillip Bush will strut his stuff with the wild Jazz Symphony by George Antheil. And, Finnish composer, Kimmo Hakola, shares his heart-warming work for clarinet and cello, Capriole.

CHINA PROJECT -- Present Music will perform in Shanghai and Beijing in May of 2003. Returning with Present Music from China will be The Shanghai Chinese Ensemble. In additional to the Western instruments played by Present Music, you'll hear traditional Chinese instruments such as the pipa, erhu, zheng, bamboo flute, and qin. You'll hear a newly commissioned work from Beijing composer Xiaogang Ye and music by Bright Sheng and Qu Xiaosong. The concert will take place in Bader Hall of the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday May 31, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. In addition to the regular concert on the 2002-2003 subscription series there will be a special added performance on Thursday, May 29th where the Shanghai Chinese Ensemble will perform a concert of traditional Chinese music. This concert will take place at Schwann Hall of the Wisconsin Lutheran College.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Subscription package are available to the 2002-2003 Season. Prices are as follows:

• $125 for Premium Subscriptions (all 6 Milwaukee concerts with premium seating)
• $85 for the Favorite Four Series (choice of four concerts with premium seating).
• $75 for Bargain Series (all six Milwaukee concerts with general admission seating), and
• $45 for a Student subscription (all six Milwaukee concerts with general admission seating)
• Shanghai Chinese Ensemble performance on May 29th tickets are $20

To order season tickets, or to request a 2002-2003 Season Brochure, please call the Present Music office at: 414-271-0711.

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Present Music - 2002-2003 Season

SEASON OPENER AND PARTY

Friday September 27, 2002 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Art Museum -- Grand Reception Hall

We'll fly and soar and boil and burn with Turn Table Turn by Russian-born Australian composer, Elena Kats-Chernin.

THANKSGIVING

Sunday November 24, 2002 4:00 p.m.
St. John's Cathedral

A large chorus, elegant dancers, the mighty pipe organ, American Indian drumming and singing, and Present Music come together for another inspiring Thanksgiving concert.

CRASH

Saturday January 11, 2003 7:30 p.m.
Bader Hall at the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts

Composer Mary Ellen Childs imaginative group combines theatre, dance, and percussion in exhilarating and extraordinary ways.

AFRICA/AMERICA

Saturday March 15, 2003 7:30 p.m.
Bader Hall at the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts

Present Music joins Milwaukee's International Arts Festival featuring African, African-American, and American music.

BOOM

Saturday April 26, 2003 7:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Art Museum -- Grand Reception Hall

Boom box virtuoso composer Phil Kline comes from New York to work his magic on Milwaukee.

CHINA PROJECT CONCERT FINALE

Saturday May 31 7:30 p.m.
Bader Hall at the Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts

In additional to the Western instruments played by Present Music, you'll hear traditional instruments such as the pipa, erhu, zheng, bamboo flute, and qin.

Special Added Performance: Thursday, May 29th the Shanghai Chinese Ensemble will perform a concert of traditional Chinese music. This concert will take place in Schwann Hall at the Wisconsin Lutheran College.