Dr Kyle Gann
One of the foremost experts on American music today will talk about Charles Ives’ Piano Sonata No. 2, “Concord, Mass., 1840-1860,” followed by a live performance of the piece at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 in the Potter Hall Theater on the campus of Missouri Western State University.
The talk and concert are free and open to the public.
Dr. Kyle Gann will begin the evening with a talk about Ives and his best-known work, arguably the single most important work for piano by an American composer. Dr. Gann is a composer and was the new-music critic of “The Village Voice” from 1986 to 2005.
Since 1997 he has taught music theory, history and composition at Bard College in New York. He has also taught at Columbia University, Brooklyn College, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Bucknell University. He is the author of five books, with a sixth titled “Essays After a Sonata: Charles Ives’ Concord” to be released this year by Yale University Press.
Robert Pherigo
Following Dr. Gann’s talk, Robert Pherigo will perform the Concord Sonata. Pherigo makes music as a composer, pianist, tenor and conductor. He has been a member of Kansas City’s newEar Contemporary Music Ensemble for the last 14 years, exploring the exciting and varied music of today’s modern composers. He was named Missouri Composer Laureate for 2010-2011. Pherigo sang with the Kansas City Chorale for 10 years, and as a pianist continues his association with them. He has also performed with the Kansas City Symphony and Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Currently, Pherigo is the pianist for the Lee’s Summit North High School Music department and for Unity Temple on the Plaza.