The Purdue University North Central Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series and the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra will host performances by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).
On Thursday, March 20, ICE will present a recital at 5 p.m. in the PNC Library-Student-Faculty Building, Room 144. The doors will open at 4:30 p.m. Ample parking is available at PNC. Parking for those with handicap parking permits is available in Lot 1 for those attending the recital. Coffee Central, located adjacent to Room 144, will be open until 6 p.m. for coffee and tea and the nearby cafeteria will be open until 6 p.m. as well.
To make a reservation, email recital@pnc.edu or call Liz Bernel, PNC coordinator of Special Events and Marketing at 219-785- 5719. Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Bernel.
ICE has been making waves in various ways since it was founded 10 years ago as a Chicago-New York organization performing new music, primarily new music in the "classical" tradition and seeking out new audiences and new venues for this music. It was named the Musical America Ensemble of the Year for 2014, has received various major grants and individual musicians have received numerous awards. ICE executive director and flutist Claire Chase was recently awarded a MacArthur "Genius" fellowship.
The ensemble has been in residence in recent years at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, as well as at the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center in New York. Four musicians - Nick Masterson, oboe; Campbell MacDonald, clarinet; Rebekah Heller, bassoon and David Byrd-Marrow, horn - will perform a piece involving PNC students, by noted African-American composer, author and jazz trombonist George Lewis.
ICE musicians will work with PNC students to learn the "rules" of Lewis's piece, "Artificial Life," exploring the structure and ideas behind the music and culminating with a collaborative performance. Lewis's approach to experimental music began with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians in Chicago. Now a professor at Columbia University in New York, he worked with ICE to develop new music and the piece to be featured at PNC is one of these.
"ICE has cutting edge philosophy and progressive contemporary programing. The musicians have even taken ownership in developing, funding and executing performances that are meant to reach the entire world by design. We are very fortunate to have them working with the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra. I am confident the musicians will enjoy working with this dynamic group of young musicians, just to see them chasing their dreams," said Lee Bauman, executive director La Porte County Symphony Orchestra.
On Sunday, March 23, at 3 p.m., at Elston Performing Arts Center in Michigan City, La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, Philip J. Bauman, music director, will perform the IU Health LaPorte Hospital Classic Concert: "Amadeus Mozart Un-Caged." Winner of 8 Academy Awards, the movie Amadeus highlights the triumphs and tragedies of a great musical genius. Chart topping soundtracks from the composer's epic output will be featured along with 21st century icon John Cage, known as an "Inventor of Genius." Geniuses collide as the precise and delightful melodies of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, performed by ICE are juxtaposed with Atlas Eclipticalis, a work of "chance." Other surprises will be "un-Caged" in an afternoon of adventurous musical exploration.
Concert admission is $20 for adults; $18 for senior citizens and students with a valid I.D. are admitted free.
Further information about the LCSO concert may be obtained by visiting www.LCSO.net or emailing info@LCSO.net or calling 219-362-9020.
The previous PNC collaborations with the LCSO brought exceptional classical musicians Andrius Zlabys and Danielle Belén, to PNC for memorable performances and workshops. Recital event sponsors include the PNC College of Liberal Arts; the PNC Chancellor's Diversity Fund; the PNC Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series and Michigan City Paper Box Company. Concert sponsors are Indiana University Health La Porte Hospital, Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation and Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa. IU Health LaPorte Hospital will have a drawing for a three free heart screenings for audience members.
The PNC Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series hosts events throughout the year. For information about this event or the Odyssey series, contact Judy Jacobi, PNC assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Campus Relations, at 785-5200, ext. 5593.