TUDOR CHOIR
This mellifluous choral group sings the music of British composer John Tavener. Interspersed between Tavener's serene and mystical vocal works are ecclesiastical chants ("Credo in unum Deum," "In Paradisum," etc.) and music from the Flemish renaissance. Also Sat Feb 22 at St. Mark's Cathedral on Capitol Hill. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 8398 NE 12th St, Medina, 323-9415, 8 pm, $15-$22.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22
MIKE BISIO
For those of us who missed Bisio's packed solo gig last December, here's another chance to hear this adventurous bassist wind his way through standards, free improvisation, and whatever else flies from his fingers. Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska St, 725-7517, 3 pm, free.
MUSIKFABRIK
In honor of his 60th birthday, members of the German contemporary music group musikFabrik perform works by British composer Brian Ferneyhough. Renowned for his terrifyingly virtuosic music, Ferneyhough is a master of lyrical dissonance and, along with Helmut Lachenmann and Salvatore Sciarrino, essential listening for anyone interested in Europe's bold, post-Ligeti avant-garde. Also on the program is the premiere of In the Mirror Land by UW professor and former Ferneyhough student Joël-François Durand. Brechemin Auditorium, UW campus, 685-8384, 8 pm, $8/$10.MONDAY FEBRUARY 24
CASCADIAN WIND QUINTET
Filled with verve and arch wit, the neoclassical music of Francis Poulenc makes me feel smarter than I actually am, kinda like jazz-fusion. The Cascadians serve up Poulenc's frothy yet expansive Sextet for piano and winds along with pieces by Ravel and two other neoclassical composers--Darius Milhaud, and Poulenc's almost-forgotten coeval, Jacques Ibert. Crepe de Paris, 1333 Fifth Ave & Union St (second level of Rainier Square), 623-4111, 7 pm, $7 (does not include dinner).
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25
SOUND CURRENTS
Several energetic composers have banded together for a concert of new music, featuring Ben Houge's string quartet (based on music from the computer game Arcanum), a wry, expertly scored wind trio by Korby Sears inspired by the urban legend of the water engine, and vocal improv-electronics work led by Mike Min. What's really weird about this gig is that they're serving waffles after the concert. Now who says contemporary composers don't want to connect with the public? Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 8501 SE 40th St, Mercer Island, 232-3270, 8 pm, $8/$15.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26
STAGGERED THIRDS
This text-sound trio uses poetry, essays, advertisements, menus, national anthems, and other printed effluvia to create funny, engaging, and arresting vocal pieces. I like this group so much that I "forgot" to return the tape that Staggered Thirds perpetrator Doug Nufer loaned me several years ago. Shame on me! Under the moniker An Exaltation of Larks, experimental vocalists Amy Denio, Ivory Smith, and Eryn Young sing a cappella, run their voices through lots of effects, and stand a good chance of sending shivers up your spine. Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 329-4224, 8 pm, $7.
