Upcoming Events
Avant Garden of Love (2nd Edition)
Algorithms meet amóre in Present Music’s twisted Valentines concert:
Avant Garden of Love (2nd edition).
Experience post-modern balladeer Corey Dargel, praised by The New York Times as “one of the more consistently original and provocative artists pushing the margins of modern classical music and adventurous pop.”
Dargel’s new piece for Present Music “true love not pretend” dares to ask the questions we all ponder. Inspired by multiple conversations with AI chatbots, the work delves into::
-a checklist to find true love
-a diagnosis of erotomania from a chatbot therapist
-how to rehearse saying “I love you” and really mean it
-a chatbot arguing that conversation, sex, and love are all better with a machine
than with a human being
Present Music gives a rare performance of Steve Reich’s Double Sextet, cited as “one of the finest pieces of our time” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and gets the audience involved in the playful antics of the legendary Cabaret Voltaire. And then, direct from the garden, we introduce… the Present Music Vegetable Orchestra!
Now that’s some organic love a chatbot could never devise!
Avant Garden of Love (2nd Edition)
Algorithms meet amóre in Present Music’s twisted Valentines concert:
Avant Garden of Love (2nd edition).
Experience post-modern balladeer Corey Dargel, praised by The New York Times as “one of the more consistently original and provocative artists pushing the margins of modern classical music and adventurous pop.”
Dargel’s new piece for Present Music “true love not pretend” dares to ask the questions we all ponder. Inspired by multiple conversations with AI chatbots, the work delves into::
-a checklist to find true love
-a diagnosis of erotomania from a chatbot therapist
-how to rehearse saying “I love you” and really mean it
-a chatbot arguing that conversation, sex, and love are all better with a machine
than with a human being
Present Music gives a rare performance of Steve Reich’s Double Sextet, cited as “one of the finest pieces of our time” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and gets the audience involved in the playful antics of the legendary Cabaret Voltaire. And then, direct from the garden, we introduce… the Present Music Vegetable Orchestra!
Now that’s some organic love a chatbot could never devise!
Rituals, Spells & Charms
A spectacular cine-concert:
Shake off that winter chill with an evening of Rituals, Spells, and Charms
The program features the dynamic Rahde Rahde: Rites of Holi, an homage to Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, created by jazz pianist/composer Vijay Iyer and filmmaker Prashant Bhargava. Present Music performs this suite in live counterpoint with cinematic episodes from the eight days and nights the Holi festivities in Mathura, India. This will not be the measured rhythms of a classical concert hall, but the breathless energy of a street festival, where people throw brilliantly shaded powders on each other. Vibrant. Chaotic. Incandescent.
You’ll be mesmerized by Canadian “musical scientist” Nicole Lizée’s film-composition
Hitchcock Études (an ode to The Birds), groove to the funky footwork of Jiln Patton’s Little Black Book, and move to Judd Greenstein’s infectious Jitter Pocket.
It will be a hot ticket!
David Bloom conducts.
Rituals, Spells & Charms
A spectacular cine-concert:
Shake off that winter chill with an evening of Rituals, Spells, and Charms
The program features the dynamic Rahde Rahde: Rites of Holi, an homage to Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, created by jazz pianist/composer Vijay Iyer and filmmaker Prashant Bhargava. Present Music performs this suite in live counterpoint with cinematic episodes from the eight days and nights the Holi festivities in Mathura, India. This will not be the measured rhythms of a classical concert hall, but the breathless energy of a street festival, where people throw brilliantly shaded powders on each other. Vibrant. Chaotic. Incandescent.
You’ll be mesmerized by Canadian “musical scientist” Nicole Lizée’s film-composition
Hitchcock Études (an ode to The Birds), groove to the funky footwork of Jiln Patton’s Little Black Book, and move to Judd Greenstein’s infectious Jitter Pocket.
It will be a hot ticket!
David Bloom conducts.
Nathalie Joachim
Our final concert features composer/flutist/vocalist Nathalie Joachim, who will perform her piece Ki Moun Ou Ye, which explores her Haitian heritage.
The concert is a partnership with the museum exhibit Gertrude Abercrombie; Jazz; Chicago; Gentrification in Hyde Park, and also the museum's extensive Haitian art holdings.
Of Being Numerous
Presented by Ellen & Joe Checota
Christopher Cerrone's composition commissioned by Jan Serr & John Shannon
The 4-time Grammy-winning choir The Crossing from Philadelphia will perform a new commissioned piece by Christopher Cerrone. The piece, Of Being Numerous, is based upon poet George Oppen's epic work which examines individuality within a broader social context. Caroline Shaw's recent work Ochre will also be performed. The event will begin and end with performances by the southern/ Ho Chunk family drum Little Priest Singers.
Donald Nally conducts.
4pm Pre-concert conversation with composer Christopher Cerrone and conductor Donald Nally, moderated by David Bloom.
Post-concert reception with free bites and soft drinks.
All Souls Eve
All Souls Eve is a celebratory concert of remembrance featuring Mexican Day of the Dead festivities with music by Gabriela Ortiz and Miguel del Aguila; an Evan Chambers song-cycle The Old Burying Ground; and a new commission from composer Viet Cuong entitled Music of the While. The program is in partnership with the museum exhibit A Bradley Collection of Modern Art: A Bold Vision for Milwaukee.
All Souls Eve promises a feast for the mind, body, and spirit!
It’s not just a concert– it’s an experience!
First, order something tasty from one of the 3 specialty food trucks parked outside the Milwaukee Art Museum. (Open at 5:30-7:30pm)
Then, pay your respects at the ofrenda created by artist Francisco X Mora.
An ofrenda is an altar that serves as a central part of Day of the Dead tradition, honoring and welcoming the spirits of deceased loved ones to visit during the celebration
Next, stroll through the featured exhibit The Bradley Collection of Modern Art.
At 6:30 p.m., head to the Lubar Auditorium for a preconcert conversation with composer Viet Cuong, conductor Deanna Tham, and artist Mora, moderated by Milwaukee Art Museum curator Kantara Souffrant. They will bring you closer to the music you are about to hear, including the world premiere of Cuong’s Music of the While.
Viet Cuong's composition commissioned by Randall Lindert & Christine Rundblad in memory of Cecile Cheng
Concert Sponsors: Suzanne & Richard Pieper and PieperPower
The Fragments of Time — Violins of Hope
Whether it’s the recorded voices of WWII survivors in Steve Reich’s Different Trains, reimagined liturgical music in Yotam Haber’s work, or the stories behind the Holocaust-era instruments of Violins of Hope, bringing these fragments together invites reflection, connection, and quiet acts of remembrance across generations.
Fragments of Time: The Violins of Hope
Whether it’s the recorded voices of WWII survivors in Steve Reich’s Different Trains, reimagined liturgical music in Yotam Haber’s work, or the stories behind the Holocaust-era instruments of Violins of Hope, bringing these fragments together invites reflection, connection, and quiet acts of remembrance across generations.