Event Detail

Susan Narucki and Kirsten Ashley Wiest, sopranos
Alex Greenbaum, cellist
Alexander Ishov, flutist

A musical celebration of International Womens' Day featuring vocal chamber music rarely heard in the United States, curated by Susan Narucki, award winning soprano and Distinguished Professor of Music at UC San Diego, joined by superb guest artists Kirsten Ashley Wiest, soprano, Alex Greenbaum, cellist and Alexander Ishov, flute.

Changing Light honors remarkable composers from across the globe. Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina, now in her nineties, has written an astonishing array of powerful works, from large scale symphonic and choral works to intimate, eclectic chamber music. Her Letter to Rimma Dalos for voice and cello is a tribute to the great Russian poet.

German-American composer Ursula Mamlok was an essential voice in the modernist New York scene of the mid 20 th century as well as an important teacher of composition. With exquisite attention to balance in form and attuned to fine gradations of instrumental and vocal color, her Stray Birds, for coloratura soprano, flute and cello, are jewel-like settings of poems of Rabindranath Tagore.

Colombian born composer Alba Potes' distinctive music combines beautifully defined formal structures, with a subtle underpinning of Latin American traditional music. One of Mamlok's most distinguished mentees, Potes' moving TRINOS, written for Susan Narucki and Kirsten Ashley Wiest to poems by Javier Tafur Gonzalez, will be presented in its world premiere.

The late Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho was one of music's most important composers, writing exceptional music in the genres of opera, chamber music, choral works and music combination with electronics. We honor her by presenting her iconic From the Grammar of Dreams for two sopranos and her Changing Light for soprano and cello, a gentle prayer for grace and serenity.
Join us for a remarkable fusion of poetry and music created by exceptional women.