Credited with more than 300 commissions since its founding, the intrepid PRISM Quartet (Matthew Levy, Timothy McAllister, Zachary Shemon, Taimur Sullivan) presents a program of new and recent works by composers with deep ties to the City of Brotherly Love. The program features world premieres by four extraordinarily talented composition students, each representing one of four eminent music institutions in Philadelphia: Atomic Tangerine and Indigo; Green by Elise Arancio (Curtis Institute of Music), Spliced Tapes by Brendan McMullen (University of Pennsylvania), Four Short Songs by Gloria Quinn (University of the Arts), and Transgression (Act of Sin) by Sepehr Pirasteh (Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance). All four works were commissioned by the newly-formed Philadelphia Student Composers Project under the direction of Erin Busch.

The program also features past Quartet commissions from master composers with longstanding ties to Philadelphia, including Cha by Philadelphia native and Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe from the Quartet’s 2019 album, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. Cha is dedicated to the memory of the composer’s father. Wolfe writes: “My favorite memory is dancing the cha-cha-cha with my father. He would hit the dance floor and take me along with him. The piece takes the cha cha as a starting point and creates a joyful deconstruction/exaggeration of the style for the sax quartet.”

Pew Fellow David Serkin Ludwig — who recently left his long-time position on the composition faculty of Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music to assume the role of Dean and Director of the Music Division of the Juilliard School — contributes Josquin Microludes from the Quartet’s 2016 album, The Curtis Project. Ludwig describes Microludes as “a set of miniatures that incorporates Josquin’s Mille Regretz into its musical language, as if channel surfing between ancient music and contemporary sounds.”

The program also includes the jazz-inflected I Never Knew and Straight Up by PRISM’s frequent collaborator James Primosch (1956-2021) from the group’s 2011 album Dedication, to honor his memory and rich musical legacy. Primosch, a Guggenheim and Pew Fellow,  served on the composition faculty of the University of Pennsylvania for more than 30 years.

The program is presented on December 7 at 7:30 PM at Christ & St. Stephen’s Church located at 120 West 69th Street. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for students/seniors, and are available at www.prismquartet.com/concerts. Enter the code PrismPromo5 for $5 off!

PROGRAM
Josquin Microludes (2012) by David Serkin Ludwig
I. Milles regetz de vous abandonner…
II. et d’eslonger vostre fache amoureuse
III. jay si grand dueil et paine doloureuse…
IV. quon me verra brief mes jours definer…
V. …brief mes jours definer…

Spliced Tapes (2021, world premiere) by Brendan McMullen

Atomic Tangerine and Indigo; Green (2021, world premiere) by Elise Arancio

Straight Up (2004) and I Never Knew (2007) by James Primosch

Intermission

TRANSGRESSION (Act of Sin) (2021, world premiere) by Sepehr Pirasteh

Four Short Songs for Saxophone Quartet (2021, world premiere) by Gloria Quinn
I. Glide
II. Drag
III. Bounce
IV. Scrape

Cha (2015) by Julia Wolfe

All works composed for the PRISM Quartet

Covid-19 Protocols: Vaccinations and Masks
This concert is open only to fully vaccinated and masked individuals. Anyone wishing to enter the building must show a proof of vaccination – such as a Covid-19 vaccination card or an Excelsior Pass – to staff at the door. Musicians and staff members have been vaccinated.

Acknowledgements
This concert is made possible with generous support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, and Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Credited with more than 300 commissions since its founding, the intrepid PRISM Quartet (Matthew Levy, Timothy McAllister, Zachary Shemon, Taimur Sullivan) presents a program of new and recent works by composers with deep ties to the City of Brotherly Love. The program features world premieres by four extraordinarily talented composition students, each representing one of four eminent music institutions in Philadelphia: Atomic Tangerine and Indigo; Greenby Elise Arancio (Curtis Institute of Music), Spliced Tapes by Brendan McMullen (University of Pennsylvania), Four Short Songs by Gloria Quinn(University of the Arts), and Transgression (Act of Sin) by Sepehr Pirasteh(Temple University Boyer College of Music and Dance). All four works were commissioned and are presented in Philadelphia as the inaugural concert of the Philadelphia Student Composers Project under the direction of Erin Busch on December 6th.

The program also features past Quartet commissions from master composers with longstanding ties to Philadelphia, including Cha by Philadelphia native and Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe from the Quartet’s 2019 album, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral. Cha is dedicated to the memory of the composer’s father. Wolfe writes: “My favorite memory is dancing the cha-cha-cha with my father. He would hit the dance floor and take me along with him. The piece takes the cha cha as a starting point and creates a joyful deconstruction/exaggeration of the style for the sax quartet.”

Pew Fellow David Serkin Ludwig — who recently left his long-time position on the composition faculty of Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music to assume the role of Dean and Director of the Music Division of the Juilliard School — contributes Josquin Microludes from the Quartet’s 2016 album, The Curtis Project. Ludwig describes Microludes as “a set of miniatures that incorporates Josquin’s Mille Regretz into its musical language, as if channel surfing between ancient music and contemporary sounds.”

The program also includes the jazz-inflected I Never Knew and Straight Up by PRISM’s frequent collaborator James Primosch (1956-2021) from the group’s 2011 album, Dedication, to honor his memory and rich musical legacy. Primosch, a Guggenheim and Pew Fellow,  served on the composition faculty of the University of Pennsylvania for more than 30 years.

The program, which is followed by a composer talkback moderated by Ludwig, is presented on December 6 at 7:30 PM at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fisher-Bennett Hall, Rose Concert Hall located at 3340 Walnut Street. The concert is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

PROGRAM
Josquin Microludes (2012) by David Serkin Ludwig
I. Milles regetz de vous abandonner…
II. et d’eslonger vostre fache amoureuse
III. jay si grand dueil et paine doloureuse…
IV. quon me verra brief mes jours definer…
V. …brief mes jours definer…

Spliced Tapes (2021, world premiere) by Brendan McMullen

Atomic Tangerine and Indigo; Green (2021, world premiere) by Elise Arancio

Straight Up (2004) and I Never Knew (2007) by James Primosch

Intermission

TRANSGRESSION (Act of Sin) (2021, world premiere) by Sepehr Pirasteh

Four Short Songs for Saxophone Quartet (2021, world premiere) by Gloria Quinn
I. Glide
II. Drag
III. Bounce
IV. Scrape

Cha (2015) by Julia Wolfe

All works composed for the PRISM Quartet

HEALTH AND SAFETY
The concert is open only to fully vaccinated masked individuals.  University of Pennsylvania students, faculty, and staff must show Penn Card and Green Open Pass for entry. The general public must show proof of vaccination and Green Open Pass for entry, available to complete on-site or in advance at pennopen.med.upenn.edu/campus.

Acknowledgements
The concert is presented by the Philadelphia Student Composers Project with generous grant from the Sachs Program for Arts Innovation, and additional funding from PRISM Quartet, Inc., the Curtis Institute of Music, and the University of Pennsylvania Music Dept.

The PRISM Quartet’s popular program, Hit Parade, features a cross-section of traditional and contemporary music. New works reflect the enormous range of cultural and aesthetic influences on today’s composers. Praised by The Philadelphia Inquirer for its ability to “move effortlessly between styles,” the program includes two stunningly beautiful sets of adaptations: Schumann Bouquet, selections from Robert Schumann’s Album for the Young, arranged for the PRISM Quartet by the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William Bolcom; and selected movements from Italian composer Salvatore Sciarrino’s Pagine (Pages), a book of adaptations of works by J. S. Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, George Gershwin, Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa, and more.

PROGRAM

Bop (2004) by Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)

Schumann Bouquet by Robert Schumann (1810-1856), arr. 2015 by William Bolcom (b. 1938)
I. Lieber Mai (The beautiful month of May)
II. Knecht Ruprecht (The bogeyman)
V. Sehr langsam (Very slow)
VI. Lied italienischer Marinari (Song of the Italian boatmen)

Reflections (2021)  by Melissa Aldana
I. Resumen de Otono
IV. Con La Primavera

KEEN (2004) by Roshanne Etezady (b. 1973)

Pagine (Pages, 1998) by Salvatore Sciarrino (b. 1947)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Kyrie (Gott Vater in Ewigkeit)
Johann Sebastian Bach Fughetta (super Diess sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot)
George Gershwin (1898–1937) Who cares?
Domenico Scarlatti Sonata L. 215

Steamboat (2014) by Michael Daugherty (b. 1954)

Send in the Clowns (1973, from A Little Night Music) Stephen Sondheim (b. 1930) arr. 2019 by Matthew Levy (b. 1963)

Pueblito Viejo by Jose Alejandro Morales (1913-1978), arr. by Alvaro Rojas

Paqueta by Roberto Saghini

Guest Artists
Melissa Aldana, tenor
Chris Potter, tenor
Rudresh Mahanthappa, alto
Terell Stafford, trumpet

PRISM Quartet
Timothy McAllister, soprano
Zachary Shemon, alto
Matthew Levy, tenor
Taimur Sullivan, baritone

IMPORTANT: Please see Covid-19 Protocols below.

The intrepid PRISM Quartet celebrates the release of its new album, Heritage/Evolution, Volume 2 with a marathon concert at NYC’s DiMenna Center featuring sax giants Chris Potter and Rudresh Mahanthappaperforming compositions from the album by Potter and PRISM’s own Matthew Levy. But that’s not all. PRISM also launches the third phase of its Heritage/Evolution project with new commissions from Blue Note recording artist/tenorist extraordinaire Melissa Aldana and jazz trumpet virtuoso Terell Stafford who join the Quartet as soloists on their own works. September 15, 7 – 9:45 PM at the DiMenna Center’s Cary Hall located at 450 W 37th St in New York City.

The Music
The PRISM Quartet’s massive Heritage/Evolution commissioning project explores saxophone’s dual lineages in classical music and jazz with 12 major commissions (and two albums) and counting from many of the world’s greatest jazz saxophonists. The concert features the world premiere of Aldana’s new work, Reflections. In her words, “Reflections is about transformation, a personal meditation on the stages of growth I experienced, and saw the world experience, over the course of the pandemic. My isolation and stillness enabled me to observe, clearly and for the first time in many years, the progression of the seasons, changes in the color of leaves, how they would fall just to be reborn stronger and more beautiful. My personal journey has been similar, as I worked though feelings of sadness, confusion, frustration, serenity, happiness and slowly transformed into the person I am today. I also wanted to know how other artists were expressing their feelings about nature, love, sadness, nostalgia, life… So I revisited some of my favorite poems by Julio Cortazar and Pablo Neruda, poems that resonate deeply with me and provided inspiration for my composition.”

Stafford contributes his own work to the program, “Favor,” a jazz waltz newly arranged by Jack Saint Clair. JazzTimes describes the work as “like fine whiskey, mellow but with bite” and “just a touch of churchiness.” The program includes Improvisations by Chris Potter and Forbidden Drive Matthew Levy from PRISM’s newest album, Heritage/Evolution, Volume 2 (8/13/21 release on XAS), and music by Mahanthappa, Tim Ries, and Miguel Zenón from the group’s critically acclaimed 2015 album, Heritage/Evolution, Volume 1 (innova), which AllAboutJazz gave five stars and called “a phenomenal album filled with illusion, atmosphere and great music.”

About Heritage/Evolution
Launched in 2014 to celebrate PRISM Quartet’s 30th anniversary season, Heritage/Evolution is an ongoing project that partners PRISM with master saxophonists who defy convention. Since the saxophone’s invention by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1840, it has captured the imaginations of artists and audiences worldwide. Heritage/Evolution charts fresh musical territory, drawing on the saxophone’s cross-cultural heritage to blend jazz with everything from Western and South Indian classical music to Romani and Latin American folkloric music.

Covid-19 Protocols: Vaccinations and Masks
This concert is open only to fully vaccinated masked individuals. Anyone wishing to enter the building must show a proof of vaccination – such as a photocopy of a Covid-19 vaccination card or an Excelsior Pass – to the Front Desk receptionist. Musicians and staff members have been vaccinated.

American Composers Forum, Philadelphia Chapter in collaboration with PRISM Quartet presents an online artist talk between Melissa Aldana and Terell Stafford, two composer/performs who are joining PRISM in free performances of their works on Sept 12-14 in three Philadelphia parks. During this free Artist to Artist Talk, Aldana and Stafford will discuss their creative process, reflect on their artistic influences, and share recent work.

PRISM in the Parks
The intrepid PRISM Quartet (saxophones) launches the third phase of its colossal HERITAGE/EVOLUTION commissioning project with PRISM in the Parks, free concerts in three Philadelphia parks featuring Blue Note recording artist/tenorist extraordinaire Melissa Aldana and jazz trumpet virtuoso Terell Stafford. PRISM, Aldana, and Stafford bring their music to Gorgas Park in Roxborough (6300 Ridge Ave.) on 9/12 @ 5 pm; FDR Park in South Philly (1500 Pattison Ave.) on 9/13 @ 6 pm; and Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown (1301 N Beach St.) on 9/14 @ 6 pm. Rain dates for each concert are noon the following day. No tickets or reservations are required and alcohol is strictly prohibited. Exploring saxophone’s dual lineages in classical music and jazz, concerts feature the world premiere of Aldana’s new work, Reflections, a meditation on the pandemic, plus music by Stafford, John Coltrane, Miguel Zenon, Tim Ries, and Chris Potter, celebrating the release of PRISM’s new album, Heritage/Evolution, Vol. 2.

Acknowledgements
PRISM in the Parks has made possible with lead support from the William Penn Foundation and additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Performing Ebozos Fugaces by Kenichi Ikuno Sekiguchi

2021 North American Saxophone Alliance Region IV Conference, Opening Concert