SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Gerard Schwarz conducts the world premiere of Chen Yi's Symphony No. 3, My Musical Journey to America. Also on the program: Saint-Saëns' memorable warhorse Symphony No. 3, nicknamed the "Organ Symphony," with St. James Cathedral organist Joseph Adam as soloist. Pianist André Watts joins the band for Edward MacDowell's Piano Concerto No. 2. Also Fri March 19 at 1 pm, Sat March 20 at 8 pm, and Sun March 21 at 1 pm. Pre-concert talk starts one hour prior to the performances. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave and Union St, 215-4747, 7:30 pm, $16-$60.
FRIDAY MARCH 19
COMPOSER/CHOREOGRAPHER 7
A small herd of Seattle composers collaborate with an array of choreographers. Composers include avant jazz pianist Gust Burns, Zeke Keeble, Bill Moyer, Jovino Santos Neto, and John Silverman. Also Sat-Sun March 20-21 at 8 pm. Velocity MainSpace Theater, 915 E Pine St, 545-8848, 8 pm, $10- $15.
PSYCHFORM CD RELEASE
Celebrating the release of its first compilation (si-ke-del-ik) on CD and LP, PsychForm Records has whipped up a mini-festival of noise acts: the headlining Haters (in town to mark their 25th anniversary), Noggin (I'm hoping for another violin duet/duel), John Wiese (his CD Bubble Pulse was one of my faves of 2003), and the Broken Penis Orchestra (whose name makes me shudder). Lo_Fi, 429B Eastlake Ave E, 9 pm, $8. SATURDAY MARCH 20
GREG CAMPBELL
Most every writer has a stock phrase, a well-worn epithet that saddles an otherwise telling sentence with cumbersome verbiage. Although I've refrained from using the phrase "[finds] the orchestra lurking within his instrument" for about a year now, percussionist Greg Campbell does just that, and often with elegant mastery. Do not miss this solo show starring one of Seattle's most resourceful and understated improvising musicians. Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 329-4224, 8 pm, $6.
SUNDAY MARCH 21
ANN CUMMINGS
This pianist tackles a 77-minute program of the vertiginous finger-breaking piano music of Franz Liszt. Seattle Art Museum, 100 University Ave, 726-9152, 2 pm, $9/$15.
PROSPETTIVA PLURAL XII
Paul Plimley, Robin Holcomb, and Marc Seales convene for three 30-minute solo piano performances. Vancouver, BC-based Plimley has gigged with a raft of top-flight avant improvisers, including Evan Parker and Cecil Taylor. The lonely, bleached-bone rural Americana of Robin Holcomb should contrast nicely with Plimley's frenzied fingers. I've admired Marc Seales' spare, gospel-inflected work on piano and electric piano for a while; his propulsive electric piano solo on "Enigma" from his new CD, A Time, a Place, a Journey (Origin), ripples from my speakers as I type this sentence. CoCA, 408 Dexter Ave N, 728-1980, 4 pm, $8 suggested donation.
TUESDAY MARCH 23
WAYNE HORVITZ
The jazz pianist and composer enlists avant violist Eyvind Kang to solo in the premiere of Whispers, Hymns and a Murmur, scored for string quartet, electronics, and improviser. Raisbeck Performance Hall, Ned & Kayla Skinner Theater, 2015 Boren Ave, 325-6500, 8 pm, $6/$12.
