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New York City based composer Waddy Thompson‘s works have been performed at the Spoleto Festival U.S.A., St. Louis Spring Festival, Chicago Festival of New Music, Florida New Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, and on many recitals. February 2011 sees two NYC performances for his new work for string quartet, “Winter Morning by a Lake”:

On February 21, 7:25 p.m., at Symphony Space, Thompson’s new work will be performed by the Cassatt Quartet, as part of The Music of Now marathon concert (which begins at 4 p.m.). In addition to Thompson, featured composers during this segment include Shirish Korde, David Del Tredici, Charles Wuorinen, Evan Ziporyn, and Daniel Godfrey, as well as composer-performers  Matt Sullivan (oboe) and Gustavo Casenave (jazz piano). Performances by Alice Jones (flute), Alison Deane (piano), Fidelio Trio, Cassatt Quartet, and Ursula Oppens (piano).

On February 26, 5:00 p.m., at the Nicholas Roerich Museum the same work will receive its “Above 96th Street Premiere” performed by violinist Vita Wallace and others as part of a program on meditation. In addition to Thompson’s work, this gathering for music and meditation also features music by Hannah Lash, Carl Voss, and David Loeb, and simple mindfulness meditation instruction. This is a day for people of all backgrounds to hear music differently – seating on the floor, as well as chairs: feel free to bring a cushion.

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Accordion player Ernest Sau will be at New York City’s Le Poisson Rouge for this weekend’s Baby Got Bach performance on February 6th from 11am – 12:30pm. In this monthly series, kids play real instruments during pre-concert activities. Ernest will be playing and demonstrating the accordion and showing parents and children the opportunity to try and play this instrument. Other performers on this weekend’s program include Baby Got Bach’s Artistic Director and pianist, Orli Shaham, violinist Nurit Pacht, horn player Alma Liebrecht and the premiere of “Sneaky March” by composer Steven Mackey. In addition to Mackey’s premiere, music old and new and instruments familiar and unfamiliar will be played.

Babt Got Bach’s program is aimed toward 3 to 6 year-olds, but all ages are welcome. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase, and Baby Got Bach’s 11 am – 12:30 pm time on Sundays is designed to work around family naptime schedules. Tickets prices for the February 6th performances are $10 for children, $20 for adults, and $40 for family (up to 2 children & 2 adults), and can be purchased through (Le) Poisson Rouge at www.lepoissonrouge.com or (212) 505-FISH (212) 505-3474. Tickets are also available at the door, subject to availability. LPR is located at 158 Bleeker Street, between Thompson and Sullivan Streets in Greenwich Village.

For information about concerts, organization, special guests, activities visit www.babygotbach.org

About the Accordion: The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument sometimes referred to as a “squeezebox.” The accordion is played by pushing or opening a bellows while pressing buttons or keys, causing valves to open. This allows air to flow across strips of brass or steel that vibrate to produce sound inside the body of the accordion. The instrument is sometimes considered a one-man-band as it needs no accompanying instrument.

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Chicago’s Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) celebrates the Chinese New Year with colorful, traditional music, dance and martial arts performances at  Navy Pier’s Crystal Gardens, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, on Sunday, February 13, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Navy Pier’s Chinese New Year Celebration is a part of the Neighborhoods of the World series, Sundays, Feb. 6 – Apr. 3, 2011, in the Crystal Gardens.

These Free Public Performances will feature:

  • Lion Dance and Martial Arts by the Chicago Chinese Cultural Center Lion Dance Troupe
  • Chinese Fine Arts Society’s Chinese Instrument Ensemble featuring YuQi Deng (GuZheng), Erhu: Alexander Li (Erhu), Kerry Leung (Bamboo Flute) and Brent Roman on Yangqin. GuZheng, Erhu, and Yangqin are traditional Chinese instruments.
  • Jin Qiu Yue Dance Studio featuring students of Northwestern University, members of Little Star Dance Troupe, Flying Fairies Dance Group, and Oak Park Daughter’s Dance Group
  • Bei Dou Kung Fu All Stars
  • Peking Opera excerpt
  • Hakka Dance Troupe led by Rei Ling Chang
  • CFAS Chorus, under the direction of Lori Ho
  • Shadow Puppet Show led by Lori Ho
  • The Magical Strings of Youth of the Betty Haag Academy of Music
  • Fashion Show including traditional Chinese costumes from various dynasties

CFAS is dedicated to the presentation and promotion of Chinese Cultural Arts. By offering high quality professional performances of traditional and contemporary music compositions by Chinese and western composers, Chinese music on both traditional and western instruments, and Chinese dance and martial arts, CFAS seeks to reach a broad range of people and heighten their awareness of the richness of Chinese culture.

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Summation Dance Company presents the World Premiere of its first evening-length work KEEP YOUR FEATHERS DRY at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 W. 37th Street, at 7:30 pm on February 4-5, 2011. Tickets are $20 ($12 for students) and are available at SmartTix or 212-868-4444.

KEEP YOUR FEATHERS DRY explores the emotional burdens of heartbreak complicated by war. The dancers represent fragmented thoughts and distorted emotions as they navigate their way through the incomprehensible. The piece is choreographed by Sumi Clements and produced by Taryn Vander Hoop. The music includes the works of Moby, Four Tet, and Blockhead.

Dancers: Sumi Clements, Angela Curotto, Cat DeAngelis, Sarah Holmes, Allie Lochary, Julie McMillan, Erin Okayama, Kristin Schwab, Yohta Tsagri, Taryn Vander Hoop and Kelsey Berry (Apprentice).

Summation Dance Company, founded by Sumi Clements and Taryn Vander Hoop, is a New York City based modern dance company creating exciting, innovative, and highly physical work. The mission of Summation is to find the beauty in struggle, the humor in the mundane, and the grace in humanity.

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Chicago-based soprano Amy Conn will appear in Bach’s Cantata 152 “Tritt auf den Glaubensbahn” as part of the Grace Lutheran Church Bach Cantata Vespers Series with the Newberry Consort and Douglas Anderson, Baritone. The concert will take place at Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division Street, in River Forest, IL, on Sunday, January 30th 4pm.

The following week, Ms. Conn will sing Steven Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians with chamber ensemble eighth blackbird at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago ave., on Saturday February 5th, 7:30pm (sold out) & 10pm.

Finally, on February 13 at 2pm, Amy will perform “Men and Women in Love,” a solo recital with Shannon McGinnis, pian;  featuring music of Clara Schumann, Germaine Tailleferre, Robert Kritz and Enrique Granados. The recital will take place at the Wilmette Public Library Auditorium, 1242 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette, IL. Admission is free.

Soprano Amy Conn is known for her pure tone, communicative warmth and musical intelligence. Amy appears on both the concert and theater stage in music of many periods, with a special love for baroque repertoire. Ms. Conn has soloed with Music of the Baroque, Baroque Band, Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Elgin Choral Union and Symphony, Chorus Angelorum, North Shore Choral Society, Lutheran Choir of Chicago and Bach Chamber Choir. She is a former long time member of Chicago a cappella. Stage appearances include lead roles in Acis and Galatea, The Turn of the Screw, Yeomen of the Guard and The Pirates of Penzance. In 2010, she made her debut with Chicago Opera Theater, covering the role of Isifile in Cavalli’s Giasone.