CONCERTS
by Christopher DeLaurenti
FRIDAY JANUARY 2
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
If aliens ever visited Earth and asked me to recommend one piece of classical music, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 would unhesitatingly crown my list. Like its 20th-century counterpart, The Rite of Spring, the inexorably ennobling fury of Beethoven's 9th blasts most other music into absolute emotional, musical, and historical irrelevance. Gerard Schwarz, the Seattle Symphony Chorale, and the Seattle Symphony perform this still-potent symphonic atom bomb along with Wagner's plushly scored Siegfried Idyll. Also Sat Jan 3 at 8 pm and Sun Jan 4 at 2 pm. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave and Union St, 215-4747, 8 pm, $18-$80.
SATURDAY JANUARY 3
STARTENDTIME
After the assassination of JFK 40 years ago, countless composers from Stravinsky on down to obscure pipe-smoking, tweed-jacketed Midwestern college composition teachers wrote pieces to honor the slain president. Predictably, the World Trade Center attack of 9/11 has also spawned a raft of pieces. Perhaps the most interesting take yet is Amsterdam-based sound artist Mark Bain's StartEndTime, a sound installation that transforms seismological data from New York during the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings on September 11, 2001, into audible sound. StartEndTime cycles over the course of 74 minutes throughout the day. Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 329-4224, 1-5 pm, free.
CAPPELLA ROMANA
Alexander Lingas leads this Portland-based vocal ensemble in alleluias from the Great Church of Hagia Sophia as well as intimate choral motets by Tikey Zes, Peter Michaelides, and Ivan Moody. Holy Rosary Church, 42nd Ave SW and Genesee St, 866-822-7735, 8 pm, $12-$20.
MONDAY JANUARY 5
SOUND OF THE BRUSH
Lyn Goeringer, composer and thereminist, performs enterprising new works for theremin and computer, in addition to several structured improvisations for found objects. Popularized in the classic film Spellbound and in the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," the theremin is actually damn difficult to play. Unlike most musical instruments, it's not controlled by the responsive touch of a string, key, or lip, but by moving hands in midair near two antennae that control pitch and volume. CoCA, 1420 11th Ave, 728-1980, 8:30 pm, donation requested.
TUESDAY JANUARY 6
MAYNARD FERGUSON
Master of high-flying stratospheric trumpet solos, Ferguson leads a high-energy nine-piece big band that ranges from swing to bop, funk to fusion, and covers a few pop tunes, too. Also Wed Jan 7 at 8 pm, Thurs-Sat Jan 8-10 with sets at 8 and 10 pm, as well as Sun Jan 11 at 6:30 and 8:30 pm. Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixth Ave, 441-9729, 8 pm, $18.50-$22.50.
CRAIG SHEPPARD
This UW professor and pianist scales one of the summits of piano literature, Beethoven's piano sonatas. For this performance, the fifth of seven concerts, Sheppard serves up two Beethoven blockbusters, the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" sonatas, both of which still dazzle to this day. Meany Theater, UW campus, 543-4880, 7:30 pm, $8/$10.
