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EIGHTH BLACKBIRD: ENSEMBLE-IN-RESIDENCE                                    

Described by The New Yorker as "friendly, unpretentious, idealistic and highly skilled", eighth blackbird promises its ever-increasing audiences provocative and engaging performances. It is widely lauded for its performing style: often playing from memory with virtuosic and theatrical flair and its efforts to make new music accessible to wide audiences. A New York Times reviewer raved, "eighth blackbird's performances are the picture of polish and precision, and they seem to be thoroughly engaged by music in a broad range of contemporary styles." The sextet has been the subject of profiles in the New York Times and on NPR's All Things Considered; it has also been featured on CBS's Sunday Morning, St. Paul Sunday, Weekend America and The Next Big Thing, among others. The ensemble is in residence at the University of Richmond in Virginia and at the University of Chicago. Visit eigthblackbird.com for more information on 3P's ensemble-in-residence.

JANE RIGLER: FEATURED ARTIST                                    

Jane Rigler, flutist, composer, educator and producer is known for her innovations in new flute performance, techniques and unique musical vocabulary.

As a flutist she is a featured performer in contemporary music festivals throughout the U.S. and Europe as a soloist as well as within chamber ensembles (Ensemble Plural, Either/Or, Ne(x)tworks, Ensemble Sospeso, Anthony Braxton 12tet, etc.). Besides premiering works written especially for her, Jane’s own compositions include solo acoustic pieces inspired by language to complex interactive electronic works that pay homage to communities, language and the sounds of the environment, whether they be the natural world, animals or people and machines.

After receiving a B.M. (Northwestern University) and then pursuing flute studies in various parts of Europe and North America, she gained her M.A. and Ph.D. (UC San Diego) completing The Vocalization of the Flute, a book demonstrating both new and ancient methods of singing-while-playing the flute. Her expertise has led to performances in contemporary operas, experimental theater and dance events as well as other interactive electronic festivals. Visit janerigler.com for more information.

SARAH PLUM, FEATURED ARTIST                                    

Sarah Plum has dedicated her career to the proposition that a musician should be actively engaged with the music of our own time as well as that of the past. She also strongly believes that teaching young musicians enriches her own playing and is central to her musical life.

Plum began her performing career by winning the first prize at the International Stulberg Competition in 1984. Since then she has been sought after by orchestras and fellow musicians in the US and Europe as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician for concerts of both traditional and contemporary repertoire and has performed at festivals and venues such as Ars Musica Brussels, Cite de Musique, The Barbican, The Luzern Festival and Ankunft Neue Musik Berlin. Most recently, she has played chamber music concerts at the Festival de Musique “Zodiac” in the south of France as well as presented solo concerts of new music in Berlin, New York City and at Bard College.

As a new music specialist, Plum has had the good fortune to take part in historic performances and premieres with noted composers and ensembles. Her long term collaborations with composers have led to CDs such as her 2011 solo release Absconditus. This CD has been called “flinty and stark yet atmospheric” by music web, “ a gem” by the American Record Guide and Gramophone Magazine said that "Sarah Plum plays with a wealth of colour and a surprising range of sounds".

Plum has been heard in numerous TV and radio broadcasts on the WDR, NDR, Deutsche Welle, BBC and Iowa Public Radio. She has recorded on the Bluegriffin, Bridge, BMG, Albany, Arte Nova and Capriccio labels.

DUO KLANG: FEATURED ARTISTS                                    

Duo Klang is dedicated to expanding the sonic possibilities of the multiple keyboard concert, often employing live electronics, tape, toy pianos, and whatever else is handy in their programs. Their repertoire ranges from icons of the genre to newly composed works crafted specifically for their unusual and special resources.

In addition to their thriving solo and chamber careers, Genevieve and Aron are also music educators in Southern California: Genevieve is professor of music at Pomona College, while Aron teaches music technology, theory, and piano and the University of Southern California (USC), Pomona College, and Chapman University.