By Daily Iowan Arts and Culture Staff
The University of Iowa has always had one of the most vibrant classical and jazz music communities in the Midwest. In 2008, however, when the floods came through and ravaged the floodplain, the Voxman Music Building, located next to Hancher and Clapp Recital near the river, took a big hit. Now, eight years later, the university has bounced back in dazzling fashion with the new Voxman and the jam-packed programs it has consistently promoted since it was completed. Still, though, many UI students aren’t aware of — or at the least, in touch with — the classical- and jazz-music scenes here.
This week is one of the more exciting yet in the Voxman-era music program’s short history, when world-class performers from across a variety of classical disciplines will come to perform on one of Iowa City’s many stages. The Daily Iowan Arts and Culture staff took the opportunity to create a preview selection of these events for our readers. So, whether you are a die-hard fan or a complete newcomer, we hope you can find something below that tickles the ivories of your interest.
Ari Streisfeld
Where: Voxman Concert Hall When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Cost: Free
By Levi Wright
Ari Streisfeld, the critically acclaimed violinist whose shows have been hailed as a “dazzling performance” by the New York Times, will perform at the Voxman Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in a collaborative effort with the Center for New Music.
Whether you are a classical-music aficionado or if you haven’t ever heard live classical music before, Streisfeld believes there will be something for you at the concert.
“When people come to my concerts, they are usually quite taken with the music,” Streisfeld said.
This year’s concert is the first time Streisfeld will perform solo at the university.
“Just me, my violin, and the music in front of me, he said. “I will perform two more recent works, one that has been written for me this past year, and I will give a world première at the University of Iowa.”
The acclaimed violinist will aim to showcase a wider range of what the violin can do than many people expect.
“The violin at times will sound electric, nature-sounding and beyond just the normal styles of playing, which will also be in the program,” he said. “For me, it’s showing what the violin can do beyond what people associate it with.”
When performing, Streisfeld tries to strike a harmony between his own sense of fulfillment as an artist and the sense of enjoyment felt by the audience.
“[This music] can make you feel emotions and feelings beyond what we can even put into words,” he said.
Jack Quartet
Where: Voxman Concert Hall When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Cost: Free
By Austin Henderson
On Friday, New York City-based JACK Quartet will perform a free concert at 7:30 p.m. in Voxman.
The group’s lauded musicians demonstrate an innovative and contemporary take on classical music.
“We’re a string quartet from New York City that primarily focuses on the music of today,” said Jay Campbell, the group’s cellist. “That could be either new works written for us or the masterworks of the 20th century.”
Founded in 2007, the name “JACK” is an acronym for the original members’ first names, according to the New York Times. While two of the founders, Ari Streisfeld and Kevin MacFarland, have left the group — Streisfeld to teach violin at the University of South Carolina — the group has added Campbell and violinist Austin Wulliman.
The former members continue to collaborate with the quartet, and they will play a large role in the group’s performance in Iowa City, Campbell said.
“The original two members who left this past summer will come back to play John Adams’ ‘Shaker Loops’ [a cornerstone of minimalist composition] with us at the concert here, so that will be a lot of fun,” he said.
Campbell also feels a strong allure to performing new compositions, he said.
“There’s something particularly exciting about opening up a new score for the first time,” he said. “It’s a really reinvigorating experience to work with composers — it challenges you to expand your own idea of what music is, and that kind of thing is so applicable to so many different areas of the arts in general.”
Telemann: Cantata For Christmastide
By Isaac Hamlet
Where: 151 Voxman When: 3 p.m. Dec. 11 Cost: Free
At 3 p.m. Dec. 11, a faculty performance will showcase a Christmas-theme selection from Baroque composer George Telemann.
The performance will occur in 151 Voxman; however, because of recent delays and rescheduling, performer and voice Professor Stephen Swanson urges those who wish to attend to check the university website on the day of performance.
“This was supposed to be the first performance in the new organ hall,” said Swanson, who both organized the event and will sing baritone. “However, we’re having problems with the acoustics, so the hall probably won’t be finished in time for us to use it.”
The hall is still undergoing construction. Even if the space were finished in time, Swanson pointed out, “They wouldn’t have time to tune the organ to the room.”
Because of how sound from a full-sized organ carries, the instrument has to be tuned to the specifics of the room. Rather than using the organ for the performance, a harpsichord — which the part was originally scored for — will serve as its replacement.
The performance is composed of four different cantatas meant to be performed over the course of the Christmas season. In Telemann’s 18th-century Germany, Christmas lasted from Christmas Eve through the beginning of January.
“They’re traditionally sung in German, which I will be doing,” Swanson said. “But we’re giving a literal English translation in the pamphlet.”
The four movements all feature Swanson performing the vocal part, accompanied by a combination of flute, cello, violins, harpsichord, and trumpet.
“Each one has its own charm, and each one has different challenges,” Swanson said. “Musically, the most fun one for me is the last, which probably requires the most vocal gymnastics.”
2016 Jazz combo festival
By Claire Dietz
Over the next few days, high-school students will have the opportunity to play with jazz musicians who are also alumni of the University of Iowa.
The 2016 Jazz Combo Festival will begin today with the Area 51 Jazz Combo at 8 p.m. and the Jazz Alumni Band at 9 p.m., both of which will perform at The Mill, 120 E. Burlington St. The festival will continue Friday with a UI Grad Combo at 5 p.m. and high-school combos at 6 p.m., also at The Mill.
Steve Grismore, the organizer of the event, sees this as a fantastic opportunity for both students and faculty to become more acquainted with jazz musicians, both young and old, across the state.
“I’ve been doing my part teaching college, judging festivals, and teaching high-school and college kids,” Grismore said. “But we’re trying to keep the next generation of jazz musicians interested and hopefully bring some talented kids to Iowa.”
The UI Jazz Alumni Concert includes Grismore, Marc Gratama, Mitch Towne, and John DeSalme, who played in the Army Band before retiring in 2012.
Grismore said he looks forward to playing with the alumni, despite only having a few hours to practice in the same room before they go on stage. But for him, that sense of spontaneity is where some of the fun comes from.
