ben zucker
composer, performer, organizer, curator, educator, etc.
2024
November 1, 8:30 pm, Lawrence University Memorial Chapel (Appleton, WI):
World premiere of Fold, Flow, Field by the LU flute & trombone ensembles
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October 17, 8:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Alike Untils release concert on Improvised Music Series, with Erica Dawn Lyle
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September 26/27, 7:30 pm, Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art:
Vibraphone and sound design for Some Viscera with Lykanthea
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September 22, 4pm, High Concept Labs (Chicago):
Premiere of "Rhynoceron", a puppet show by KT Shivak with original music
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September 20, 12 pm, Palau de la Musica (Valencia, Spain):
David Moliner performs f(ne)ar-sited for the 46è Festival Ensems, presented by the L’Institut Valencià de Cultura
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September 15, 7 pm, The Lodge (Dayton, KY)
Missing Piece performs Adaptive Artifcation/Eschautomation
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September 15, 2 pm, Fox Gallery (Cleveland):
The _____ Experiment performs Refinites
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September 15, 2 pm, Horatio N. May Chapel (Chicago):
"Where Angels Tread": gallery opening with performance of Rosśa Crean's "The Spaces We Breathe"
& dance performance to original electronic music
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September 14, 7 pm, Mayfair Artist Studios (Boston):
Siren Songs: vocal recital by Cristina Gallo and Jackie Kerns,
including world premieres of "When I Tell My Mother" and "Speaking (of) Immemorial Waters"
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September 14, 8 pm, Pro Musica (Chicago):
Duo with Osnat Netzer (piano)
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September 12, 7 pm, Cafe Mustache (Chicago):
Heavy Air Happy Hour with Andrew Scott Young (bass), Chad Clark (guitar)
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September 4, 8:30 pm, Beat Kitchen (Chicago):
Splice Series, performance with Carol Genetti, Peter Maunu, Erica Miller, and Craig Davis Pinson,
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August 29, 4:00 pm, Chicago Cultural Center:
Chicago Jazz Festival features DJAZ (Elastic Arts Improvised Music Curatorial Team),
with Ishmael Ali, Angel Bat Dawid, Molly Jones, and Avreeayl Ra
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August 21, 12:00 pm, Northwestern University Norris Center (Evanston, IL):
Lunch On The Lake with Tommy Carroll's Prosthetic
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August 2, 7:00 pm, Archie's Cafe (Chicago):
Trio with Tommy Carroll, Maya Jensen, and guests
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August 1, 8:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Cornet performance as part of Eli Namay's Sound Mass VI
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July 26:
Release of James Ilgenfritz's "Proprioceptions III: Inasmuch And Insofar"
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July 21, 4:00 pm, Clara (Chicago):
Trio with Jesse Chandler, Oliver Horton
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July 9-16:
On tour with Adam Shead's Microplastique, performances at Spot Tavern (7/9, Lafayette, IN); house concert (7/10, South Bend, IN); Constellation (7/11, Chicago, IL); Sugar Maple (7/12, Milwaukee, WI); O'Connell's Pub (7/13, St. Louis, MO); State St Pub (7/14, Indianapolis, IN); Trinosophes (7/15, Detroit, MI); Waterloo Arts (7/16, Cleveland, OH)
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June 16, StudioMef29 (Thessolaniki, Greece):
Post-Sonic Experiment performs Obsponsive
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June 9, 8:00 pm, Bantha Tea Bar (Pittsburgh, PA):
Duo with Eli Namay
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June 7, 7:00 pm, Nolan Park, Governor's Island (NYC):
Solo opening performance and movement as part of "Fourteen Porches" in collaboration with 2024 Indeterminacy Festival.
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May 25, 8:00 pm, Evoke Tattoos (Chicago):
Locus Ensemble presents "Crossbreeds", including performance of Butler-Barrett Distributions
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May 21, 7:30 pm, Experimental Sound Studio (Chicago):
Else, If Else performs Are We Hardly as part of New Music Chicago Presents
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May 15, 8:00 pm, Berlin Philharmonie (DE):
World premiere of f(ne)ar-sited by David Moliner
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April 21, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
"Tri-Centric Experiencers Unit": performing works of Anthony Braxton with Han Guel Lee & Jennifer Mong
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April 12:
Release of Oxalis Triangularis Vol. 1–3 by Apply Triangle,
including Intraspecies Smalltalk And The End Of The World
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April 6, 8:00 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Freedom From & Freedom To
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March 29, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
Duo with Jessica Ackerley; quartet with Ackerley, Billie Howard, & Robbie Hunsinger
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March 23, 7:00 pm, Denison University Swasey Chapel (Granville, OH):
World premiere of Butler-Barrett Distributions by WildUP with Vail Performance Series and TUTTI Festival.
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March 17, 8:00 pm, Public Space One (Iowa City, IA):
Solo, with Christine Burke & Justin Comer
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March 9, 8:00 pm, Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago):
With Pneumatic Tubes & Beth Orton
March 1, 7 pm, Rosehill Cemetary May Chapel (Chicago):
"Voice To Vibe": solo vibraphone and performance by The Mouth Is The Beginning,
with Roberta Brenza, Paige Brown, Janna Lee, Julian Otis
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February 7, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
"In A Word," improvisations with Krissy Bergmark & Shalaka Kulkarni
February 2, 7 pm, International Museum of Surgical Science (Chicago):
Release concert for ( )hole complex, with Garden Unit and BZ on live electronics
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January 5, online:
Release of ( )hole complex on Sawyer Editions
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January 4, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Quartet with new Improvised Music Series curators (Ishmael Ali, Angel Bat Dawid, Molly Jones)
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2023
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December 15, 7 pm, Co-Prosperity Sphere (Chicago):
"The Music Of Puppetry": solo performance as part of panel and
"Potential Energy" exhibition
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November 11, 7:30 pm/November 12, 4 pm, Church of St. Anthony of Padua (NYC):
CIVITAS: The Lamentations of Jeremiah Rebuilt:
Premiere of "Is It Nothing" with Khorikos and Charlotte Greve
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November 5, 4 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Earth/Land:
Premiere of "Adaptive Artifacts/Eschautomation"
by Missing Piece (Dan Galat & Kelly Quesada, strings & flowerpots)
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October 15, 9 pm, Hungry Brain (Chicago):
With James Ilgenfritz, Norman Long, Jason Stein,
Paul Giallorenzo, Teerath Majumder, & Julian Otis
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October 14, 7 pm, Alma Art & Interiors (Chicago):
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October 3, 8 pm, Burlington Bar (Chicago):
Duo on vibraphone with Scott Dean Taylor, drums
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September 30, 4 pm, Pretty Lake Camp (Mattawan, MI):
Solo vibraphone and electronics for the 2023 PRF Campout​
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September 22, 8:30 pm, Tritriangle (Chicago):
Performing works by Dick Higgins & Allison Knowles with Rin Peisert
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September 20, 7:15 pm, Tangible Books (Chicago):
Solo vibraphone performance
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September 13, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
The _____ Experiment premieres Massumi Distributions (for 5) as part of the 2023 Impromptu Fest.
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September 12, 6 pm, Epiphany Center for the Arts (Chicago):
Codex Trio performs Refinites as part of the 2023 Impromptu Fest.
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September 10, 4:30 pm, Rockwood Music Hall (NYC):
Access Contemporary Music presents Concept Lab, a live workshop series including the premiere of Mesodistributions
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September 7, 7:30 pm, Comfort Station (Chicago):
Comfort Music showcases Amalgam artists: vibraphone & cornet with Curran Law Trio
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August 31, 8 pm, Agitator Gallery (Chicago):
Night School multimedia series: solo vibraphone and electronics with video by Justin Beachler
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August 23, 7-9 pm, Tack Room/Thalia Hall (Chicago):
Kicking It Curbside summer series: solo vibraphone and electronics
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August 16, 8 pm, Beat Kitchen (Chicago):
Splice Series: vibraphone and cornet with Andrew Jamieson (keys) & Peter Maunu (violin, guitar)
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August 13, 9 pm, Hungry Brain (Chicago):
Mad Myth Science, with Fred Lomgberg-Holm, Keefe Jackson, & Julian Kirschner
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August 12, 2 pm, outdoor location
August 13, 3:30 pm, South Shore Cultural Center
August 19, 7 pm, Wicker Park Luther Church
August 20, 3:30 pm, The Joinery
Common Pulse presents: Rest (vocals and arrangements)
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August 11, 8 pm, Spot Tavern (Lafayette, IN):
Mad Myth Science
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July 20, Experimental Sound Studio (Chicago):
Krankwerk performs in/difference, for New Music Chicago Presents (watch here)
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June 25, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
Premiere of Xenoweave (for Peter Garland) by Dan Lewis & BZ on just intonation and equal tempered vibraphones
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June 24, 8 pm, Strange & Beautiful Things (Chicago):
Missing Piece Duo (Dan Galat & Kelly Quesada) and Myra Hinrichs perform
in/difference and premiere where each branch contains what is given to kingdoms
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June 21, 5 pm, Welles Park (Chicago):
"Voice To Vibe": solo vibraphone and performance by The Mouth Is The Beginning,
with Roberta Brenza, Paige Brown, Janna Lee, Julian Otis, and special guest Lorin Benedict
Presented by Make Music Chicago
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June 19, 8 pm, Golden Dagger (Chicago):
Vibes and trumpet in house band for Tommy Carroll's Open Jam
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June 9, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Solo trumpet performance on the multichannel CLEAT system,
with Alyssa Miserendino and Conor Tighe
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June 8, 7 pm, Comfort Station (Chicago):
Comfort Music presents Adam Shead's Microplastique
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May 25, 8 pm, Masterskaya M. K. Anikushin, Saint Petersburg (RU):
Mikhail Krutik premieres What comes to prickle as part of the opening concert
of the 10th St. Petersburg International Festival of New Music
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May 18, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Debut performance of The Mouth Is The Beginning, improvised vocal ensemble
with Roberta Brenza, Paige Brown, Janna Lee, & Julian Otis (watch here)
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May 15, 8 pm, Golden Dagger (Chicago):
Vibes and trumpet in house band for Tommy Carroll's Open Jam
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May 9, 8 pm, The Hideout (Chicago):
Debut performance of Gliese (vibraphone and electronics with Ishmael Ali, cello),
with Tim Daisy and Maria Elena Silva
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May 5, 8 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Homeroom presents Our Everfraction (watch here)
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May 1:
Digital release of After Along The Way
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April 30, 8 pm, Convivium 33 Gallery (Cleveland, OH):
Solo performance on vibraphone, trumpet, electronics, opening for Emily Beisel & Bill Harris.
Presented by Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project.
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April 29, Buffalo, NY:
1 pm, University of Buffalo: "Not is not not" at the UB MUGSA Conference
3 pm, Burchfield Penney Art Center: "Exploring the Language of Music:"
solo vibraphone performance in response to exhibition by Michael Mandolfo
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April 23, 9 pm, Hungry Brain (Chicago):
Debut performance of Adam Shead's Microplastique,
toy instrument improvisations with Shead, Molly Jones, and Mabel Kwan
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April 22, 7:30 pm, Queen of the Apostles Parish (Chicago)
April 23, 3 pm, St. Ita Catholic Church (Chicago)
Chicago Chamber Choir performs When we arrive at home
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April 7, 12 pm, Block Cinema, Northwestern University (Evanston, IL):
A Synesthete's Atlas: multimedia performance with Eric Theise.
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March 19, 12 pm, Paine Hall, Harvard University (Boston):
Colloquium presentation for Harvard Group for New Music.
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March 17, The Factory (St. Peterburg, FL):
Performance of Vitamalisms as part of CAMPGround 23.
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March 5, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
Premiere of ( )hole complex by Garden Unit (Julia Ansolabehere & Cameron Roberts) as part of Frequency Series.
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February 25, 4:00 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Homeroom presents WIP showing of Our Everfraction, multidisciplinary performance with Gaby Martinez,
Tony Moaton, and Veronica Anne Salinas.
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February 21, 7:30 pm, Bienen School Of Music (Evanston, IL):
Premiere of The luminous point at which logic becomes contemplation by Evan Kopca and Zaira Castillo.
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February 17, 8:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Guest duo on vibraphone with Krissy Bergmark with Pleaides Series
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February 10, 8:00 pm, Bim Bom Space (Chicago):
Duo on cornet, vibraphone, and electronics with Pneumatic Tubes (Jesse Chandler), You Are The Garden opens
February 8, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
Duo with Molly Jones on cornet and vibraphone, part of 2x4 series
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January 26-28, 8:00 pm, Steppenwolf Theatre (Chicago):
Lookout Series presents Dogs or Cats; Augmented Body with new and remastered music
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January 26, 8:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Cornet performance with Derek Worthington's Lossy Codec
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January 10, 7:30 pm, Colvin House (Chicago):
Fifth Season performs for Colvin Concerts series
2022
December 20, 7:30 pm, online:
Shi-An Costello performs ipnaop as part of New Music Chicago Presents
December 10, 8:00 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Vibraphone and movement with Freedom From & Freedom To (improvised music & dance performances)
November 3-24, Poschiavo, Switzerland
UnCool Editions Artist-In-Residence
Saturday, November 19, 8:00 pm: showcase at Casa Hasler
Monday, November 21, 7:30 pm: solo set at Bar Al Crott
October 21, 7:30 pm, Midnight Tea Studios (Fine Arts Building) (Chicago):
Semiterritory release concert featuring Fifth Season. Tickets here.
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October 9, 8:30 pm, Constellation (Chicago):
Featured artist on Frequency Series, presenting world and US premieres as part of doctoral recital
with Ishmael Ali, Johanna Brock, Jakob Heinemann, Jeff Kimmel, Daniel Lewis,
Riley Leitch, Beth MacDonald, Julian Otis, Craig Davis Pinson, and Adam Shead
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September 9, 8:00 pm, Elastic Arts
Performing on vibraphone and voice in Ishmael Ali's Archipelago on the CLEAT Series.
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August 22, 8 pm, Cafe Mustache (Chicago):
B.A.D. Trio performs , opening for Reckoner
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August 14, 3 pm, South Shore Cultural Center
August 19, 7:30 pm, Wicker Park Lutheran Church
August 21, 3 pm, Joinery (all Chicago):
Common Pulse presents: Prism, including the premiere of When I Rise Up; also singing and playing synths
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August 12:
Release of Aeroliths (Countermonumental) on Slow Tone Collages
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August 12, 7:30 pm, Epiphany Center for the Arts (Chicago):
Performing with Vishnu Ramprasad (Navtar, guitar), with Krissy Bergmark (tabla)
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August 11, 7 pm, Comfort Station Logan Square (Chicago):
Comfort Music Series: solo vibraphone set, opening for HLDAY MAGIK
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August 6, 7:30 pm, St. James Cathedral (Chicago):
Premiere of Angelus Loci, with the Chicago Composers Orchestra and Sonder Trio
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July 30, 8 pm, London Pentameters Theatre (London, UK):
Vocal Constructivists present "Scratch & The Sequence",
including a version of Wolff Distributions
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July 27, 12 pm, Norris Center, Northwestern University
B.A.D. Trio (with Andrew Harlan, bass, and Dan Lewis, drums)
performs for Northwestern's summer concert series
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July 23, 8:30 pm Mu Gallery (Chicago)
July 30, 8:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago)
Mad Myth Science's last shows...
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July 2-17, Alfred University (Alfred, NY):
"Emerging Artist" in residence for Alfred Summer Arts workshops
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June 23/24, Links Hall (Chicago):
Premiere of Dogs or Cats; Augmented Body as part of Links Hall Co-Mission Festival Of New Works
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June 17/18, International Museum Of Surgical Sciences (Chicago):
Vibraphonist for restaging of Priestess Of Morphine by Rosśa Crean
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May 29, 9 pm, Hungry Brain (Chicago):
Fifth Season performs new works and re-interpretations,
with Chris Dammann, Mabel Kwan, & Adam Shead
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May 14, 7 pm, Compound Yellow (Oak Park):
Side Yard Sounds series: performing with Mad Myth Science
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May 12, 7 pm, Cafe Mustache (Chicago):
Heavy Air Happy Hour: with Ishmael Ali & David Fletcher
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May 5, 7:30 pm, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Myth Chamber Experiment, with Lauren Hayes, Molly Jones, Norman Long, and Wilson Smith
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April 30, 7 pm, Queen Of Angels Parish/ May 1, 3 pm, St. Gregory The Great Catholic Church (Chicago):
"I'll Be On My Way": Season finale concerts with the Chicago Chamber Choir
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April 23:
Release of Becames on Whitelabelrecs (and my birthday!)
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April 14, 7 pm CT, The Garage (Northwestern University):
ConcertHub kickoff performance, on vibraphone with Andrew Harlan, bass, and Dan Lewis, drums
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April 9, 11 am CT, Museum Of Contemporary Art (Chicago):
Vibraphone and movement for Freedom From & Freedom To at the MCA Family Day
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April 2, 7:30 pm CT, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Vibraphone, movement, and trumpet at the 7th Freedom From & Freedom To (improvised music & dance performances)
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April 2, 3 pm CT, University Of Nebraska Kearney:
Sharon Campbell performs Semiramide Riconosciuta as part of the UNK New Music Festival​
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March 3, 8 pm CT, Esquina (Chicago) & online:
Solo vibraphone and electronics for Esquina's First Thursdays series, with Becky Grajada and Beth MacDonald
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March 1, 7:30 pm CT, Galvin Hall, Northwestern University:
Third Coast Percussion premieres Vitamalisms.
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February 27, 5 pm CT, First Presbyterian Church of Evanston:
Chicago Chamber Choir 25th Anniversary & Reunion Concert
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February 19, 11 am, Harris Theater (Chicago):
Chicago Chamber Choir performs as part of the 2022 ACDA Midwest Convention
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January 8, 8:30 pm CT, Constellation (Chicago):
Performing on vibraphone with Fifth Season (with Mabel Kwan, Andrew Scott Young, Adam Shead)
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2021
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December 15, 8:30 pm CT, Beat Kitchen (Chicago):
Splice Series: improvising with Peter Maunu, Carol Genetti, and Adam Zanolini
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December 11, 7:30 pm CT, Elastic Arts (Chicago):
Freedom From & Freedom To: collaborative music and dance improvisation performances
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December 9, 6 pm CT, Cafe Mustache (Chicago):
Heavy Air Happy Hour: performing on small percussion and objects with Adam Shead and Andrew Scott Young
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December 3/4, Saint Vincent DePaul Catholic Church (Chicago):
Accompanying the William Ferris Chorale on marimba in Erik Esenvalds' Earth Teach Me Quiet
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November 20, 12 pm PST, online:
Opening of "Audiovisual Music" exhibition at UCR ARTS (Riverside, CA), including Incognita Ex Terra
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November 16, 7:30 CT, livestream:
Quixote Duo performs Outdifferencing for New Music Chicago Presents
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November 11/12, 12 pm ET, online:
OneBeat Virtual Marathon, in collaborations with Sara Gonzalez Salamanca, Daniel Schreiner, and the Building Radio Elective
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October 30, Church of St. Spirit, Jihlava (Czech Republic)
Prague Quiet Music Collective performs Refinites as part of the 25th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival
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October 30, online & University Of North Georgia:
Research On Contemporary Composition Conference; virtual presentation of "Not Is Not Not: Compositional Labor, Identity, And Fidelity As Parameter In Experimental Music Performance"
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October 29, 8 pm CEST, Musikhuset Aarhus & livestream:
Nordic Percussion Festival, including premiere of anti.duo.dist.
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October 17, 1 pm CT, Comfort Station (Chicago):
Cinnamon Davenport's Assembly Room Presents: Solos; solo electronics/fake saxophones in support of record label fair with Alex Maerbach, Zach Moore, Nick Merryhew, Nu A.M., & Alexander Adams
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October 16, 7:30 pm CT, Saint Mary of the Lake Catholic Church (Chicago):
Performance with Chicago Chamber Choir
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September 22, 8 pm CT, Cafe Mustache (Chicago):
Performance with Mad Myth Science, with guest poet Joel Garcia
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September 18, 7 pm CT, DCTorium (Chicago):
Quixote Duo premieres Outdifferencing as part of Ear Taxi Festival Spotlight Series
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August 28, 11 am CEST, Janacek Conservatory (Ostrava):
Ostrava Banda performs Eschautomata as part of Ostrava Days
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August 21, 2 am CEST, JiÅ™í Myron Theatre (Ostrava):
Performing Hard Rain by Milan Guštar as part of The Long Night at Ostrava Days
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August 19, 9:30 pm CEST, Brickhouse (Hlubina Coal Mine) (Ostrava):
Performing Stockhausen's Aus Den Sieben Tagen at Ostrava Days opening concert
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July 16, 8:30 pm CT, Constellation (Chicago):
Performing with Mad Myth Science
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July 11, 17, 18, various locations in Chicago:
Common Pulse presents: She, singing and vibraphone
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