Friday, November 19, 2004, 8 PM
Christ & St. Stephen's Church
120 W. 69th St., NYC:

The Composers Concordance kicks off its 21st year with a freewheeling concert featuring the legendary and slightly wacky accordionist William Schimmel. The subject of a recent full-page feature article in the New York Times, Bill Schimmel will perform his Capriccio Brasilia (yes, on Brazilan themes) accompanied by Allyssa Lamb on vocals and melodica. Schimmel will divulge the mysteries of his cult status in a Meet the Composer interview with actress Linda Past.

Organist/composer Carson Cooman will share both facets of his musical life on this concert, with a premiere of his new Horn Trio, dedicated to the Composers Concordance with Lynn Bechtold violin, Barbara Oldham, horn and Paul Hoffmann, piano. He will also perform Joseph Pehrson's solo organ piece, Organum and appear in a Meet the Composer interview to discuss his dual activities.

Trance-like minimalism mixed with modern Einsteinian science is the spirit of Terry Winter Owens' The Bending of the Light for solo piano with Portugese pianist Francisco Monteiro at the spaceship helm, here for this special event.

Pulitzer prize winner Leslie Bassett has composed Jade Garden, here sung by Naomi Gurt Lind, soprano, with Paul Hoffmann at the piano. Bassett mixes the hip and the classical in his own blend.

Living in an obscure forest on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Russia, Sergei Oskolkov, a long-haired Russian maverick composes music from a different earth. Here we will present his zany Sonata for bass clarinet and piano, with new music maven Tom Piercy, back again in New York and specialist in the new, strange and exotic, Judith Olson, on piano.

Who says that jazz and new music don't mix? Not the Composers Concordance, and here we present an out-and-out scored jazz piece by sound magician Paul Nash. Bruce Williamson is featured on sax with Judith Olson at piano.

Don't miss this concert. We promise you a good time. Composers Concordance: with our ear to the ground for the latest sounds. Tickets $15, $10 students and seniors, TDF accepted.