SOUND STRUCTURES

A bevy of sound-art installations scattered across the Cornish campus by John Burrow, Seoungho Cho, Andrew Deutsch & Ann Hamilton, Doug Haire, Max Keene, Susie Kozawa, Dave Knott, Minoru Sato, Dan Senn, Trimpin, Stephen Vitiello, and yours truly. Also Fri Sept 27 and Sat Sept 28. Fisher Gallery at Cornish, 710 East Roy St, 325-6500, 10 am-6 pm, $6.

GUST BURNS QUARTET

Why are there so few avant-jazz pianists? Unless you care to cart one of those awful-sounding, impossible-to-repair digital pianos around, finding a gig is tough. And with rent to pay, the jazz clubs that can afford a piano tend to book straight-ahead players; you're more likely to find a budding firebrand in back doing the dishes instead of gracing the stage, so this appearance (on the Globe's ancient piano) by improvising pianist and composer Gust Burns is most welcome. Globe Cafe, 14th Ave at E Pine, 329-4224, 8 pm, $6.

SEATTLE COMPOSERS SALON

A variety show for contemporary music, the Composers Salon enables composers to present new and often experimental work. This installment of the bimonthly series features compositions for solo instruments (bassoon, piano, and oboe) and duets (soprano and piano, tape and clarinet, and oboe and piano) by Diane Thome, Len Bassham, David Messler, Matt Ward-Steinman, Tom Swafford, and emcee Tom Baker. Soundbridge at Benaroya Hall, Second & Union, 215-4747, 8 pm, $5.

SEATTLE CHAMBER PLAYERS

You can always count on the Seattle Chamber Players to devise alluring titles for their concerts. "Diaspora Soul: Defining Jewish Music Today" focuses on Jewish composers from around the world, including Eitan Steinberg (Israel), Osvaldo Golijvov (Argentina), Paul Schoenfield (USA/Israel), and Seattle native Daniel Asia. The pre-concert lecture with Daniel Asia and Gavin Borchert, a composer and one of our burg's best music writers, is at 7:15 pm. Recital Hall at Benaroya, 200 University St, 286-5052, 8 pm, $12-$20.

JOHN CAGE RETROSPECTIVE

Allotting only one night for a look back at the music of John Cage seems a bit brief, but giving the most influential composer of the 20th century a thorough overview would require several orchestras, at least one art gallery, not a few dancers, and multiple venues. On the bill: String Quartet in Four Parts and Wonderful Widow of Eighteen Springs, along with works for piano and prepared piano. Kerry Hall at Cornish, 710 E Roy, 325-6500, 7 pm, $6/$12.

TARI NELSON-ZAGAR

One of Seattle's unsung and supremely skilled improvising violinists embellishes readings by Joannie Kervran Stangeland, Novella Carpenter, Kevin Sampsell, and Barb Klansnic. Titlewave Books, 7 Mercer St (lower Queen Anne), 282-7687, 7:30 pm, free.

KMH

This Tokyo- and Berlin-based trio of kelly, mzweig, and kristen_ blend video with elegant sonic improvisations rooted in (what sounds like) processed field recordings and engaging blips. Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave at E Union, 329-4224, 8 pm $8.