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Saxophonist, composer and Wesleyan professor Anthony Braxton is known worldwide for his contributions to contemporary music. On the event of his 60th birthday, Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, Music Department, and a wide array of scholars, students and professional musicians have joined forces to perform and examine his work with a festival in three parts. This website will be updated with the most current festival information, so check back soon. Part I: Wednesday through Saturday, Sept. 14-17
Wesleyan Music Department Colloquium Braxton scholar Hugo de Craen from Antwerpen University in Belgium presents his paper, "Braxton and Kandinsky : Symbolists of the Spiritual".
Anthony Braxton: Solo Saxophone
Anthony Braxton presents a rare solo saxophone concert comprised of his language music compositions.
Composition 103 for 7 Trumpets and the Diamond Curtain/Wall Trio
A World Premiere, featuring the 7-piece Braxton Trumpet Ensemble: Taylor Ho Bynum, Tim Byrnes, Peter Evans, Sam Hoyt, John McDonough, Kelly Pratt, Nate Wooley, followed by a U.S. premiere of the Diamond Curtain/Wall Trio: Anthony Braxton (reeds, electronics), Tom Crean (electric guitar) and Taylor Ho Bynum (brass).
Ghost Trance Twelvetet with Electronic Components Braxton and his current core ensemble of collaborators explore his unique music system. Anthony Braxton (reeds, electronics, compositions), Taylor Ho Bynum (brass), Andrew Raffo Dewar (reeds), Elizabeth Panzer (harp), Jessica Pavone (viola, violin), Jane Rigler (flutes), Reut Regev (trombone), Jay Rozen (tuba), Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon), Aaron Siegel (percussion), Carl Testa (contrabass), Libby Van Cleve (oboe, english horn).
Part II: Wednesday through Sunday, Nov. 16-20
Four concerts of Braxton's complete works for solo piano, performed by Belgian pianist Genevieve Foccroulle in the Wesleyan Memorial Chapel.
1st Concert of Complete Piano Works Cycle
2nd Concert of Complete Piano Works Cycle
Composition 171 for piano
3rd Concert of Complete Piano Works Cycle
Part III: Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 7-10
Anthony Braxton's Large Ensemble
Anthony Braxton Alumni Concert
Alumni of the Wesleyan Music program and Professor Braxton's ensemble return to campus for a performance of his early compositions.
Orchestra Music
The concert finale of Braxton's Birthday Celebration will feature the as-yet unrecorded Comp.24 and Comp.83 for orchestra, performed by the Braxton Festival Orchestra. Pre-Concert Talks The Braxton at 60 festival will feature pre-concert talks with specialists and notable music scholars discussing varying aspects of Anthony Braxton's work. "Braxton and Jazz: IN the Tradition" Pre-concert talk by music scholar Kevin Whitehead
"The Improviser's Enigma"
Pre-concert talk by Yale Professor John Szwed "Growing Young with Braxton's Music: A Retrospective Look Forward"
Pre-concert talk by music scholar Mike Heffley
"The Friendly Experiencer's Quest from Composition 82 to the Genome Project : An attempt at decoding the trajectory" Pre-concert talk by Braxton scholar Hugo de Craen from Antwerpen University in Belgium.
Ongoing, Sept. - Dec. : Throughout the duration of the festival, at locations and times to be specified on this website, aspects of Braxton's music system will be performed in public spaces throughout the Wesleyan University campus, bringing his work into direct contact with the community.
Thursday, November 17th 4pm Rachel Thompson (violin), Kyle Brenders (tenor saxophone), Jonathan Zorn (electric air organ, electric bass)
Thursday, December 8th 3pm Anne Rhodes (voice), Carl Testa (bass, bass clarinet)
Price Key:
Wesleyan Center for the Arts : Wesleyan University Music Department
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