COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER HAS MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CANCEL ITS CONCERT HALL EVENTS THROUGH SUNDAY APRIL 5. WE HAVE MADE THIS DECISION WITH THE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND.
CMC violin faculty member Sin-Tung Chiu presents a program of Beethoven Sonatas for piano and violin with guest pianist Dmitriy Cogan. Program will include Beethoven’s Sonatas #2, #3, #4 and #7 for piano and violin.
Admission proceeds benefit the Bella and P. P. Chiu Memorial Scholarship Fund which provides tuition assistance to deserving students taking private lessons at CMC. Additional donations are welcome.
COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER HAS MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CANCEL ITS CONCERT HALL EVENTS THROUGH SUNDAY APRIL 5. WE HAVE MADE THIS DECISION WITH THE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND.
Guitar and songwriting faculty member Larry Dunn is putting together a concert celebrating four of CMC’s own singer/songwriters performing their original compositions in folk, country, blues, R&B, and bluegrass styles. They will be performing songs solo (individually) in a round-robin fashion, much like a Nashville singer/songwriter circle. Each artist will play four songs. Expect backstories, anecdotes, and even a bit about the songwriting process as relates to the song an artist performs. In addition to music by Dunn, Erik Pearson, Maestro Curtis, and Anne Carol Mitchell will be performing original music.
This faculty concert series is made possible by support from the Shenson Foundation.
2019-2020 marks the 25th Anniversary season of the Shenson Faculty Concert Series at Community Music Center. This series was established by the Shenson Foundation to support CMC Faculty as performing artists and ensure their work on stage is shared and celebrated in our community. Each year, the Shenson Foundation sponsors four free community concerts for CMC faculty music projects.
Workshop Description:
Rhythm is a playground. This workshop series explores improvisation using rhythmic and melodic concepts. Drawing from Latin and Cuban musical traditions, Afro-Caribbean jazz vocalist Christelle Durandy will introduce skills, tools and resources useful for vocalists to sing melodies and improvise.
The workshop will focus on building blocks of improvisation, including rhythmic accuracy, melodic and rhythmic patterns displacements, languages’ rhythmic concepts. Throughout the process, we will work on developing each participant’s skills and creative palette.
Vocalists will be accompanied by musicians. Note: No Spanish speaking is required
About Christelle Durandy:
Christelle Durandy’s artistry is a mosaic: a cross-cultural Afro-Caribbean Jazz combination that draws upon a vast spectrum of Latin, Soul and Caribbean inspirations. The melodic threads of her musicianship weave an international music fabric rooted in her loyal love for words, languages’ rhythmic and melodic concepts, percussive polyrhythm, and harmonies.
Preserving her stylings, Christelle has brought her musical colors to diverse projects: Paul Carlon Octet, Edward Perez Festejation. She has been featured with Ran Blake, Toshi Reagon and Allison Miller “Celebrate the Great Women of Blues and Jazz”, John Benitez, John Santos, Luis Enrique, La India, Max Pollak RumbaTap, Ricky Ford and Ze Big Band, Climbing Poetree, just to name a few.
Since 2007, Christelle has been a collaborative member of the all-female World music New York ensemble Cocomama, in which she exhibits her talent as a writer, arranger and producer.
Christelle has recently joined, as a lead vocalist, the 2013 Grammy Award Winner big band, Pacific Mambo Orchestra.
Of Reunion Island and French West Indies ancestry, Christelle Durandy combines colors of a rich tapestry of musical experiences as she began performing and touring at an early age with her family-based troupe in France. Under their guidance, she honed in on musical skills that she later developed during her studies and apprenticeship in Europe, Cuba, and The United-States. Christelle has continually garnered critical praise for her passionate and fierce live performances, and has mesmerized audiences worldwide.
Workshop Description:
Rhythm is a playground. This workshop series explores improvisation using rhythmic and melodic concepts. Drawing from Latin and Cuban musical traditions, Afro-Caribbean jazz vocalist Christelle Durandy will introduce skills, tools and resources useful for vocalists to sing melodies and improvise.
The workshop will focus on building blocks of improvisation, including rhythmic accuracy, melodic and rhythmic patterns displacements, languages’ rhythmic concepts. Throughout the process, we will work on developing each participant’s skills and creative palette.
Vocalists will be accompanied by musicians. Note: No Spanish speaking is required
About Christelle Durandy:
Preserving her stylings, Christelle has brought her musical colors to diverse projects: Paul Carlon Octet, Edward Perez Festejation. She has been featured with Ran Blake, Toshi Reagon and Allison Miller “Celebrate the Great Women of Blues and Jazz”, John Benitez, John Santos, Luis Enrique, La India, Max Pollak RumbaTap, Ricky Ford and Ze Big Band, Climbing Poetree, just to name a few.
Since 2007, Christelle has been a collaborative member of the all-female World music New York ensemble Cocomama, in which she exhibits her talent as a writer, arranger and producer.
Christelle has recently joined, as a lead vocalist, the 2013 Grammy Award Winner big band, Pacific Mambo Orchestra.
Of Reunion Island and French West Indies ancestry, Christelle Durandy combines colors of a rich tapestry of musical experiences as she began performing and touring at an early age with her family-based troupe in France. Under their guidance, she honed in on musical skills that she later developed during her studies and apprenticeship in Europe, Cuba, and The United-States. Christelle has continually garnered critical praise for her passionate and fierce live performances, and has mesmerized audiences worldwide.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: With the advice of the City of San Francisco and our partners, we have decided to reschedule THIS PERFORMANCE to Sunday, May 31, 2020. WE HAVE MADE THIS DECISION WITH THE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND.
The CMC keyboard faculty is excited to present the 17th Annual Faculty Keyboard Marathon, Bold Spirits: Celebrating Women Composers. This year we are exploring the vast and largely unknown range of music by female composers. The music of women composers often comprises only a small percentage of programmed piano repertoire, yet there are many outstanding female composers who have made significant contributions to classical music.
The program represents music from the Baroque to the 21st century—from Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre to Marian McPartland, and everything in between—as well as showcasing works composed by our own faculty members Allison Lovejoy, Betty Wong, and Shirley Wong-Frentzel. The program also includes selections by Amy Beach, Nathalie Bera-Tagrine, Cécile Chaminade, Gabriela Lena Frank, Veronika Krausas, Elise Kwon, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Joni Mitchell, Meredith Monk, Clara Schumann, Maria Szymanowska, Germaine Tailleferre, Vera Yavlinsky.
Join us for an afternoon of phenomenal music performed by talented CMC faculty and guest artists in celebration of the important voices of these underrepresented composers.
Featuring CMC faculty performers: Christian Bonvin, Jacqueline Chew, Lauren Cony, Grace Huenemann, Jon Jang, Bruce Loeb, Allison Lovejoy, Juliet McComas, Jennifer Peringer, Matylda Rotkiewicz, Shirley Wong-Frentzel, Betty Wong, Lilia Zheltova
with special guests Esther Chan, Annie Nalezny
We invite you to raise a glass and join us for a live-stream, interactive celebration to acknowledge the work of the CMC community during this time with a program of music and community voices. Learn more about how CMC is raising critical funds to ensure continued operations and support. The event features a performance by CMC faculty and a conversation with leaders and supporters. More details TBA.
We know that each of you is finding your way through a new set of challenges in a world that has shifted on its head seemingly overnight. We are happy that you’ve found your way to CMC, where we can celebrate the power of music to bring together our community.
CMC has responded to the community’s need for music and connection by pivoting to online instruction, with 95% of our teachers now reaching their students with distance learning tools. Thanks to you, our students’ lessons have proceeded uninterrupted, our teachers have continued to work, and our community has come closer together, even while still apart.
We’ll be sharing stories all day long, and culminate with a celebration and chance to connect to CMC. Just RSVP and we’ll send you a link to join in the merriment and give you updates along the way.
You can show your support and learn more online here.
COMMUNITY MUSIC CENTER HAS MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CANCEL ITS CONCERT HALL EVENTS THROUGH THURSDAY APRIL 30, 2020. WE HAVE MADE THIS DECISION WITH THE WELL-BEING AND HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND.
The free Concert with Conversation series features world-class musicians performing in the CMC concert hall. Each short concert is followed by a Q & A session, where the audience can learn about the lives, hard-work, and inspiration of these artists.
Described by the Boston Globe as “one of the world’s most remarkable singers,” American tenor Nicholas Phan is increasingly recognized as an artist of distinction. Praised for his keen intelligence, captivating stage presence and natural musicianship, he performs regularly with the world’s leading orchestras and opera companies.
Over the last decade, Gabriel Kahane has quietly established himself as a songwriter all his own, grafting a deep interest in storytelling to a keen sense of harmony and rhythm. His major label debut, The Ambassador, a study of Los Angeles seen through the lens of ten street addresses, was hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of the year’s very best albums”.
CMC thanks San Francisco Performances for making these concerts free for our community.
Workshop Description:
Rhythm is a playground. This workshop series explores improvisation using rhythmic and melodic concepts. Drawing from Latin and Cuban musical traditions, Afro-Caribbean jazz vocalist Christelle Durandy will introduce skills, tools and resources useful for vocalists to sing melodies and improvise.
The workshop will focus on building blocks of improvisation, including rhythmic accuracy, melodic and rhythmic patterns displacements, languages’ rhythmic concepts. Throughout the process, we will work on developing each participant’s skills and creative palette.
Vocalists will be accompanied by musicians. Note: No Spanish speaking is required
About Christelle Durandy:
Christelle Durandy’s artistry is a mosaic: a cross-cultural Afro-Caribbean Jazz combination that draws upon a vast spectrum of Latin, Soul and Caribbean inspirations. The melodic threads of her musicianship weave an international music fabric rooted in her loyal love for words, languages’ rhythmic and melodic concepts, percussive polyrhythm, and harmonies.
Preserving her stylings, Christelle has brought her musical colors to diverse projects: Paul Carlon Octet, Edward Perez Festejation. She has been featured with Ran Blake, Toshi Reagon and Allison Miller “Celebrate the Great Women of Blues and Jazz”, John Benitez, John Santos, Luis Enrique, La India, Max Pollak RumbaTap, Ricky Ford and Ze Big Band, Climbing Poetree, just to name a few.
Since 2007, Christelle has been a collaborative member of the all-female World music New York ensemble Cocomama, in which she exhibits her talent as a writer, arranger and producer.
Christelle has recently joined, as a lead vocalist, the 2013 Grammy Award Winner big band, Pacific Mambo Orchestra.
Of Reunion Island and French West Indies ancestry, Christelle Durandy combines colors of a rich tapestry of musical experiences as she began performing and touring at an early age with her family-based troupe in France. Under their guidance, she honed in on musical skills that she later developed during her studies and apprenticeship in Europe, Cuba, and The United-States. Christelle has continually garnered critical praise for her passionate and fierce live performances, and has mesmerized audiences worldwide.
Piano faculty member Christopher Basso will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth with Beethoven and His Influence, which will feature music of Beethoven and others who were directly inspired by him. The first part of the program is all-Beethoven and the second part of the program includes Für Elise and two composers’ take (including a world premiere) on Für Elise. The program concludes with Schubert’s Sonata in C minor, D. 958, which restates Beethoven’s Variations in C minor on an Original Theme, WoO 80.
This faculty concert series is made possible by support from the Shenson Foundation.
2019-2020 marks the 25th Anniversary season of the Shenson Faculty Concert Series at Community Music Center. This series was established by the Shenson Foundation to support CMC Faculty as performing artists and ensure their work on stage is shared and celebrated in our community. Each year, the Shenson Foundation sponsors four free community concerts for CMC faculty music projects.
Michael Long, violin faculty member—along with guest performers Eiko Mitani, piano and Ben-han Sung, piano—will be performing Music in Times of Resistance. This classical music concert highlights music written in or about extreme political circumstances and oppression. This program includes composers who not only dealt with dictators and political tumult, but who also used their compositions to confront or address this in some way, such as Poulenc, Shostakovich, and Schulhoff.
This faculty concert series is made possible by support from the Shenson Foundation.
2019-2020 marks the 25th Anniversary season of the Shenson Faculty Concert Series at Community Music Center. This series was established by the Shenson Foundation to support CMC Faculty as performing artists and ensure their work on stage is shared and celebrated in our community. Each year, the Shenson Foundation sponsors four free community concerts for CMC faculty music projects.
