UCSD - University of California - San Diego
01/07/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/07/2025 17:13
10th Annual Reed Family Concert Showcases the Best in New Music
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January 07, 2025Article Content
This January a three-part series of events will be held in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Reed Family Concert, an annual showcase of musical innovation at the University of California San Diego led by Distinguished Professor of Music Steven Schick. The celebration also recognizes the 30-year tenure of red fish blue fish, a beloved and highly acclaimed percussion ensemble created and directed by Schick that performs, records and premieres work from the last 85 years of western percussion's rich history.
The yearly community concert is made possible by the generous philanthropy of Ann and Joel Reed, who in 2015 established the Reed Family Presidential Chair, which is held by Schick. With funding from the endowed chair, Schick has organized a concert each year for the last decade, the events have featured groundbreaking solo and ensemble performances by Schick and red fish blue fish as well as acclaimed alumni composers and talented student musicians who are pushing the boundaries of contemporary music.
"Performing arts have been a cornerstone of our university's identity since the beginning, and the Reed Family Concert is a dynamic opportunity to discover the diverse creativity and compelling research of our music community," said Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities Cristina Della Coletta. "I thank the Reed Family for their devoted support and applaud Steven Schick for his visionary leadership in bringing the community together each year for this special event."
It's the community within the Department of Music that has inspired Schick to dedicate over three decades of his career at UC San Diego. "The skills, the diversity of interests and the creative honesty of my colleagues and our students is really second to none," he explained. "It's really a forward-looking department. We're not about the enshrinement of past ideas, but rather we focus on the way in which those ideas can become the soil for new growth."
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Reed Family Concert, a total of three events will be held. The program represents one of a multitude of creative events held at UC San Diego throughout the year as part of the Chancellor's Arts Initiative, known as ArtsConnect. Co-led by Dean Della Coletta in the School of Arts and Humanities and Vice Chancellor Alysson Satterlund, Student Affairs and Campus Life, ArtsConnect enlivens the university as a destination to experience unique art and culture.
"It's really a forward-looking department. We're not about the enshrinement of past ideas, but rather we focus on the way in which those ideas can become the soil for new growth." Distinguished Professor of Music Steven Schick
Chaya Czernowin. Photo by Christopher McIntosh.
Film Screening: Chaya Czernowin's "Heart Chamber"
Mon, Jan. 14 | 7 p.m. | Mandeville Auditorium
Chaya Czernowin earned a Ph.D. in music composition from UC San Diego and later served as a faculty member in the department. A highly acclaimed composer known for her avant-garde approach to music, Czernowin's work often explores unconventional sound worlds, combining traditional instruments with electronic elements to challenge norms of time, form and texture in music.
The community is invited to a film screening of "Heart Chamber," a documentary about her groundbreaking opera that explores the complexities of love and human relationships. First premiering in 2019 at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the work blends a non-linear narrative with innovative musical techniques, combining vocals, electronics, and orchestral music.
red fish blue fish recent rehearsal. Photo by Erik Jepsen/University Communications.
Concert: WEDS7 red fish blue fish performs Czernowin
Tues, Jan. 15 | 7 p.m. | Conrad Prebys Concert Hall
Audiences are also invited to a special presentation of alumna Chaya Czernowin's "Poetica," an innovative new work that merges percussion, strings, voice and electronics. Soloist Schick will perform the nearly 60-minute piece with red fish blue fish percussionists alongside a recorded string trio. Founded by Schick in 1995, red fish blue fish has collaborated with composers from every continent and produced numerous award-winning recordings. Many alumni of the ensemble now hold major teaching and artistic positions throughout the world.
The Jan. 15 concert will also feature "Six Japanese Gardens" by composer Kaija Saariaho, performed by Schick. Saariaho is known for her contributions to contemporary music, particularly the integration of spectral techniques, electronics and lyrical expressiveness.
Composers Sarah Hennies and Delong Wang.
Concert: WEDS7 Reed Family Concert 10th anniversary
Wed, Jan. 22 | 7 p.m. | Conrad Prebys Concert Hall
The signature event in the series merges the talents of faculty, students and alumni for a set of four performances in the world-class Conrad Prebys Concert Hall. The event will feature two compositions by alum Sarah Hennies, a contemporary composer and percussionist. In "Clock Dies," themes of time and perception are explored through subtle rhythms and textures, challenging conventional listening expectations and offering an almost hypnotic experience. This performance will be followed by "Settle," a minimalist work that Hennies and Schick will perform on vibraphone.
The Reed Family Concert is also an opportunity for graduate student composers to shine. The event will open with a work by composition doctoral candidate Delong Wang, whose work reflects deep engagement with experimental practice. In addition, performance doctoral student Myra Hinrichs will perform György Ligeti's "Violin Concerto."
A harmonic hub of innovation
The Reed Family has been instrumental in growing opportunities for budding musicians and distinguished performers for decades. In 2007, Ann and Joel Reed created the Reed Percussion Facility Endowment at UC San Diego. Two years later, Ann joined the advisory committee to help prepare for the opening of the Conrad Prebys Music Center, a dynamic space for music creation, instruction and performance.
The department is currently thriving, with more than 250 concerts held each year. The program is recognized as one of the premiere centers in the nation for education and innovation in new music. Composers, performers, improvisers, computer music researchers and music scholars engage with vital ideas and new technologies to push the boundaries of contemporary music. Learn more about upcoming concerts and music education at UC San Diego.