Fulcrum Point 26th Annual Concert for Peace: Lamentations & Aspirations
Dec
17
7:00 PM19:00

Fulcrum Point 26th Annual Concert for Peace: Lamentations & Aspirations

December 17, 2024  
7pm  Buchanan Chapel at Fourth Presbyterian Church 
126 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611


This music is our  response to the violent repression the government executed against civilian protesters, repression that costed lives and the continuous violation of human rights. With longing of times of peace and prosperity, the piece engages with dream-like sections in which a color-saturated imagery of a perfect future is tinted with crispy dissonances. — Carolina Heredia

 

They bury their dead with great ululations               Osnat Netzer 

Ius in Bello                                                               Carolina Heredia

Mioritza: Requiem for Rachel Corrie                     Alice Shields 

Lamentation on the Disasters of War                        Karim Al-Zand 

Lo Yisa Goy                                                       Stacy Garrop 



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Fulcrum Point feat. Angelo Hart: Conversations: A Night of Community, Belonging, and Connection
Nov
20
7:30 PM19:30

Fulcrum Point feat. Angelo Hart: Conversations: A Night of Community, Belonging, and Connection

Pianist and AuxIn: Connected co-curator Angelo Hart is back with a talented quartet of musicians. This November 20th at Elastic Arts come take part in Conversations: A Night of Community, Belonging, and Connection. This performance promises to be an evening of communion, exchange, and gratitude for the gift that music is and the space art creates to hear one another. The musicians will engage the audience and each other in an exercise of active listening as they push to create new sonic pallets and improvisational brilliance. We hope to see you there.

- Performers -

Angelo Hart on piano
John Sutton on Bass
Clif Wallace on Drums
Mai Sugimoto on alto, flute and percussion

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Fulcrum Point In Collaboration with Fonema Consort & Beyond This Point -- Día de los Muertos: Homenaje a Javier Álvarez
Nov
2
7:00 PM19:00

Fulcrum Point In Collaboration with Fonema Consort & Beyond This Point -- Día de los Muertos: Homenaje a Javier Álvarez

  • Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC) (map)
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Co-curator Dalia Chin


- PERFORMERS -

Fulcrum Point New Music Project

Ben Bolter, Guest Conductor

Stephen Burns, Artistic Director and trumpet

Ed Harrison, maracas soloist

Diana Lopez, trumpet soloist

Rachel Castellanos, trombone

Jeremy Ruthrauff, soprano sax

Andrew Lawrence, piano

Paul Mutzabaugh, electric bass

 

Fonema Consort

Accordion, Julia Williams

Soprano, Nathalie Colas

Flute, Dalia Chin

Guitar, Sam Rowe

David Cubek, conductor

 

Beyond This Point

John Corkill, percussion

Adam Rosenblatt, percussion


LOCATION
Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC)
4048 West Armitage Avenue
Chicago, IL, 60639 United States

Celebrate an extraordinary evening of music and collaboration at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center. Join us for a unique performance where Fulcrum PointFonema Consort, and Beyond This Point come together for a night of unforgettable music honoring the life and work of Javier Álvarez.

TICKETS
This event is FREE to the public.
Fulcrum Point is accepting $20 suggested donations (Donation not required for admission).

This concert is a calling for the voice of spirits in a ritualistic tone to remember Álvarez’s legacy.


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Meier Foundation Presents: Art in Action at the Woman's Club of Wilmette: Fulcrum Point Performs “Music for Trumpets and Trees” by Dick Higgins
Aug
14
11:00 AM11:00

Meier Foundation Presents: Art in Action at the Woman's Club of Wilmette: Fulcrum Point Performs “Music for Trumpets and Trees” by Dick Higgins

  • 915 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 United States (map)
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“Music for Trumpets and Trees” by Dick Higgins


What would it sound like if you could hear the visual patterns of the world, not the sounds of the wind or waves or a city street – that’s John Cage’s idea for 4’33” of ‘silence’ -- but the lines, colors and shapes, as if they were the notes? Music for Trumpets and Trees ( 1976) by seminal Fluxus Artist/Composer Dick Higgins, uses graphic notation as a guide for a group improvisation. What does the soft edge of a cloud sound like? Does a blue sky sound blue? How about the jagged edge of a leaf? A solid tree trunk? What about playing trees, or playing in trees? How about trumpets in trees?

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Echoes from the Archives: Celebrating Composers from the Center for Black Music Research
Jul
25
7:00 PM19:00

Echoes from the Archives: Celebrating Composers from the Center for Black Music Research

Echoes from the Archives: Celebrating Composers from the Center for Black Music Research

Curated by
Caitlin Edwards
Rob McKay, Host

Date: July 25th at 7PM

Join us July 25th for a concert celebrating the works and lives of composers from the archives of the Center for Black Music Research. 

Featuring works by: Irene Britton Smith, Frederick J Work, Dorothy Rudd Moore, Daniel Bernard Roumain, and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. 

Musicians:

Caitlin Edwards 

Khelsey Zarraga

Wilfred Farquharson 

Lindsey Sharpe

Student $10
Gen. Admission $20

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Angelo Hart Album Preview
Jun
13
8:30 PM20:30

Angelo Hart Album Preview

  • Fulcrum Point New Music Project (map)
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Angelo Hart Album Preview

Constellation Chicago
3111 N. Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Event Date: June 13, 2024

Show Time: 8:30pm

Doors Open: 8:00pm

Set Length: Minimum two (2) 40-minute sets

Ticket Price: $15


Musicians:

Angelo Hart- Piano

Tomasso Moretti- Drums

Jake Wark-Sax

Ben Dillinger-Bass


“I am very excited to be presenting some new music with such great musicians! This night is all about digging into our creative wells to create a memorable experience for everyone involved. This is an album preview. I had a different idea ahead of my next album. Instead of creating the music alone, I am getting some of my favorite musicians together in a sort of think tank . The idea is to keep the creative process as organic as possible, while keeping the creative direction open to endless possibilities. Then I take what we come up with into the studio and build off of it. I am so thrilled to have a live audience in the process!” — Angelo Hart



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AuxIn: Connected Co-Curator Caitlin Edwards presents violinist/composer Josh Henderson and his nonet
Apr
24
8:00 PM20:00

AuxIn: Connected Co-Curator Caitlin Edwards presents violinist/composer Josh Henderson and his nonet

Program Title
"Josh Henderson's One More Night"
85 min. set with 9-piece ensemble

7:30 Doors
8pm Show
$15 Suggest Donation
FREE PARKING


Description

A Tour de force evening-length performance piece created by multi-instrumentalist Josh Henderson and inspired by "The Day the Music Died" and Rock & Roll Legends - Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson - One More Night is a musical odyssey that takes the audience from the Blues to experimental Opera to Punk Rock with metaphysical pit stops along the way exploring this grand journey of life that we're all on together. Henderson is joined by an All-Star band featuring Sylver Wallace (Voice), Caroline Davis (Alto Sax), Brendon Randall-Myers (Electric Guitar), Rick Martinez (Drums), and The Desdemona String Quartet.



Bios

The One More Night Band is a special collaborative performance project that brings together a diverse group of artistic powerhouses who in their own rights are faculty members at various colleges and universities, have been profiled by the New York Times and other publications, and are recipients of numerous awards and honors in their field.



The Ensemble

Josh Henderson - Composer, Violin/Viola, Electric/Synth Bass

Desdemona - String Quartet

Caroline Drexler (violin)
Rose Kow Xiu Yi (violin)
Kayla Williams (viola)
Julia Henderson (cello)


Caroline Davis - Alto Sax

Rick Martinez - Drum Set

Brendon Randall-Myers - Electric Guitar

Danielle McKnight - Vocalist

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Discoveries: Hear & Be Heard with Espirales
Apr
15
7:30 PM19:30

Discoveries: Hear & Be Heard with Espirales


Gen. Admission: $30/Student $15

"Espirales" is a dynamic new quintet of Gold Medal Awarded Cuban musicians who perform new art music bridging jazz, classical, and Cuban popular music. Its members (Tania Haase, Olivia Rodríguez, Alejandro Aguiar, Jesús Estrada and Rodrigo García) have extensive national and international experience in multiple genres, giving "Espirales" a unique style in the panorama of current Cuban music. This year they have been featured at the prestigious "Cuban International Jazz Plaza Festival" and the "Havana Clásica Music Festival" among others. Their first tour of the USA will bring them to Boston, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. 


Don’t miss these exciting emerging artists! 

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Fulcrum Point New Music Project with ~Nois  at Epiphany
Feb
18
7:30 PM19:30

Fulcrum Point New Music Project with ~Nois at Epiphany

  • Epiphany Center For The Arts: (map)
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Come discover the coolest of new art music in our ongoing collaboration between trumpeter Stephen Burns, Fulcrum Point New Music Project and ~Nois Saxophone Quartet. Featuring the World Premiere of Shawn Okpepholo’s “Black Music”, which in the composer’s words… “embraces and captures elements of Black artistry, experience, and joy” this concert invokes the horn lines of Motown and the improvisations of Hard Bop in Scott Johnson’s “Raised By Wolves”.

Raised By Wolves    Scott Johnson 

Black Music  Shawn Okpebholo (World Premiere)

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The Chicago Premiere of Mischa Zupko’s Brass Knuckles
Feb
10
4:30 PM16:30

The Chicago Premiere of Mischa Zupko’s Brass Knuckles

  • 460 Sunset Ridge Rd Northfield, IL 60093 (map)
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One Tree, Many Branches

Presents

Fulcrum Point New Music Project

Stephen Burns, Artistic Director

 

Brass Fantasy

Colchester Fantasy                  Eric Ewazen

         The Rose and The Crown

         The Marquis of Granby

         The Dragoon

         The Red Lion

         

 

Brass Quintet #1                      Jorge Amado

         Adagio

Moderato Grazioso

Drammatico – Allegro Vivace

         

Brass Knuckles                                Mischa Zupko

         Sucker Punch

         Shadow Boxing 

 

Stephen Burns & Rebecca Oliverio, trumpet

Momoko Hasselbring Seko, French horn

Robyn Smith, trombone

Kevin Harrison, tuba

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FULCRUM POINT NEW MUSIC PROJECT 25TH ANNUAL CONCERT FOR PEACE
Dec
13
7:30 PM19:30

FULCRUM POINT NEW MUSIC PROJECT 25TH ANNUAL CONCERT FOR PEACE

  • Epiphany Center For The Arts: Epiphany Hall (map)
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EVENT DETAILS:

Fulcrum Point New Music Project 25th Annual Concert for Peace: Border Crossings

Doors: 5PM for Golden Hour 

Showtime: 7:30PM 

Tickets: $30 - General Admission | $80 - VIP table for 2 | $160 - VIP table for 4 | $15 - Student

‘Service charges apply to ALL ticket purchases (online and box office)’ - Credit card only at door

The purchase of a VIP table for 2 or 4 includes an exclusive invitation to the post-concert meet and greet reception. 



AGE REQUIREMENT:

Must be 21+


ABOUT:

Take our musical journey of new art music from minimalism to Negro Spirituals. Featuring the exquisite soprano Joelle Lamarre with the Fulcrum Point String Orchestra, this concert takes us on a sonic adventure from Sômei Satoh’s Zen-inspired “Toward the Night” through Brit Rocker Steve Martland’s “Crossing the Border” leading us to Tania León’s “Green Pastures” and Jessie Montgomerie’s “5 Freedom Songs”

Stephen Burns, Artistic Director

Joelle Lamarre, soprano

Five Freedom Songs             Jessie Montgomery

Toward the Night                    Sômei Satoh

Green Pastures                       Tania León

Crossing the Border              Steve Martland


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The Melodic Version (1984) of The Second Dream of The High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer from The Four Dreams of China (1962) in Dream Light" by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela
Nov
16
7:30 PM19:30

The Melodic Version (1984) of The Second Dream of The High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer from The Four Dreams of China (1962) in Dream Light" by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela

Chicago Humanities Festival Presents - Experience the Midwest premiere of “The Melodic Version (1984) of The Second Dream of The High-Tension Line Stepdown Transformer from The Four Dreams of China (1962) in Dream Light" by legendary minimalist artists La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela—This transformative work, performed by Fulcrum Point (led by Stephen Burns and Ben Neill), bathes the audience in magenta light while the tones from 8 muted trumpets flood the space.

Join Fulcrum Point and The Chicago Humanities Festival for a wholly unique experience that will transport you into the sonorous and luminous minds of these singular, creative artists.

Performers
Stephen Burns, Ben Neill, Nicolas Bejarano, C.J. Camerieri
Joe Drew, Rob Frear, Jim O’Connor, John Charles Thomas
La Monte Young Artistic Representative
Jung Hee Choi



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Fulcrum Point Presents: The Bridge
Nov
9
7:30 PM19:30

Fulcrum Point Presents: The Bridge

  • Epiphany Center For The Arts: The Sanctuary (map)
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In a time of division, polarity, and isolation, being connected is essential! Fulcrum Point New Music Project partners with The Bridge in curating a soulful, immersive musical experience in The Sanctuary of Epiphany Arts. Tapping into their intuitive creativity these internationally acclaimed musicians explore blues, jazz, electronics, and free-improv in a communal expression of curiosity, collaboration and joy. This one-time confluence of artists is not to be missed!


Fulcrum Point & The Bridge 

Creative Intuitive Music 

Epiphany Arts: Sanctuary

210 S Ashland Ave, Chicago

November 9, 2023

7:30 p.m.

featuring

 

Fulcrum Point: 

Co-Curator of AuxIn: Connected Angelo Hart, piano; 

Marion Mallard, bass; Corey Wilkes, trumpet

&

Bridge Artists:

Quentin Biardeau, sax & synths and Étienne Ziemniak, drums 

With special guest

Françoise Dô, poet

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Poetry Foundation's 2023 Pegasus Awards
Oct
26
7:00 PM19:00

Poetry Foundation's 2023 Pegasus Awards

  • Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago (map)
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Fulcrum Point New Music Project has been invited to participate in this year’s Pegasus Awards. The Pegasus Awards are hosted annually by the Poetry Foundation and are among some of the most prestigious award given in American poetry. Fulcrum Point’s contribution to the celebratory night will include performances by the following:


Dalia Chin-flute & co-curator

Constance Volk - flute

Caitlin Edwards - violin & co-curator

Julimar Gonzalez - violin

Wilfred Farquharson - viola 

Lindsey Sharpe - cello

For more information please contact: info@poetryfoundation.org

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Fulcrum Point Presents: Fernanda Navarro - Premiere of Reflex
Oct
18
8:30 PM20:30

Fulcrum Point Presents: Fernanda Navarro - Premiere of Reflex

Fulcrum Point Presents: Fernanda Navarro- Premiere of Reflex on Wednesday October 18th!

Fernanda Aoki Navarro is a composer of acoustic and electroacoustic music, developing concert music, intermedia works, performance art and installations. She is interested in sound, in the idiosyncratic relationship between the corporeality of the performers and the physicality of their instruments, in the exploration between music and language, the use and misuse of technology, and in the transformational power that experimental music can exert on issues related to feminism and social otherness.

Her music has been performed nationally and internationally by soloists and ensembles such as NY Philharmonic, International Contemporary Ensemble, Talea, Yarn/Wire, Fonema Consort, Gnarwhallaby, Platypus, Nadar, among others. Her works have been featured at festivals such as June in Buffalo, Banff music festival, Domaine Forget, Festival Internacional de Campos do Jordão, New Music Gathering, Visiones Sonoras, MATA, SEAMUS, NYC Electronic Music Festival, Darmstadt Summer Festival and others.


LINEUP:
Stephen Burns, trumpet/flugelhorn; Diana Lopez, trumpet; Julia Bentley, mezzo soprano; Rika Seko, violin; Sara Dailey, mezzo soprano

PROGRAM:

Lejanía: Ricardo Lorenz; Stephen Burns, trumpet/flugelhorn; Diana Lopez, trumpet


Folk Songs:

Luciano Berio; Sara Dailey, mezzo soprano


Déjate Caer:
Carolina Heredia; Rika Seko, violin


Reflex, Fernanda Aoki Navarro (World Premiere):
Julia Bentley, mezzo soprano

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Harris Fest: Music + Dance in the Park -- 20th Anniversary
Sep
9
1:30 PM13:30

Harris Fest: Music + Dance in the Park -- 20th Anniversary

Music for Trumpets and Trees by Dick Higgins (1:30pm on North side of The Cloud Gate sculpture)

What would it sound like if you could hear the visual patterns of the world, not the sounds of the wind or waves or a city street – that’s John Cage’s idea for 4’33” of ‘silence’ -- but the lines, colors and shapes, as if they were the notes? Music for Trumpets and Trees ( 1976) by seminal Fluxus Artist/Composer Dick Higgins, uses graphic notation as a guide for a group improvisation. What does the soft edge of a cloud sound like? Does a blue sky sound blue? How about the jagged edge of a leaf? A solid tree trunk? What about playing trees, or playing in trees? How about trumpets in trees?

Josh Berman, cornet

Stephen Burns, trumpet

Ben Lamar Gay, cornet

Chad McCullough, trumpet

Corey Wilkes, trumpet



Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman by Joan Tower (6pm open the concert on Pritzker Stage, Millennium Park)


Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman #5” (1993), features four trumpets in pairs exploring the trumpet's heroic, melodic and virtuosic character. The 4-minute work opens with a lone, laconic trumpet answered by others. The work gains momentum and new rhythmic impetus, only to return temporarily to its former, quieter nature. In the last quarter of the work, the “Fanfare” truly lives up to its name, releasing radiant, joyous, poly-tonal salvos of joy.


Burns, trumpet

William Denton, trumpet

Diana Lopez, trumpet

Rebecca Oliverio, trumpet


To enhance your festival experience, you can purchase a Producer's Pass. Click HERE for more.

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Fulcrum Point New Music Project presents Discoveries Hear & Be Heard : Soundscapes
Jun
29
7:30 PM19:30

Fulcrum Point New Music Project presents Discoveries Hear & Be Heard : Soundscapes

  • Fulcrum Point New Music Project (map)
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A collaboration of improvisation provided by musicians and soundscapes. During this program, we will use sound art/soundscapes as a foundation to build impromptu and meaningful compositions. The mixed media aspect will provide a different level of creative intensity. The key will be for all musicians to actively be listening, as if in conversation with one another. This will showcase the organic and living nature of the music. 

Curated by Angelo Hart - piano
Hunter Diamond- saxophones/electronics/percussion
Marion Mallard - Bass

Tickets purchased on the Epiphany Center for the Arts’ website (LINK)

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Quijote Duo presents WINDMILLS Presented by Fulcrum Point New Music Project
May
14
7:00 PM19:00

Quijote Duo presents WINDMILLS Presented by Fulcrum Point New Music Project

Alonso Quijano, AKA Don Quijote, in Miguel de Cervants’ novel plots against the intruders that are invading La Mancha. His otherworldly impetus and strong will sends him off into a lost cause endangering himself greatly. WINDMILLS is a program that pays tribute to all the real-life "Alonso Quijanos" that choose to dedicate their most valuable efforts to creating new works of music, often fighting all sorts of adversities, from financial hardships to biased public exposure and personal vulnerability. From Quijote Duo, we want to recognize and celebrate the courage and drive composers display in venturing themselves into sharing their gifts with the world so us performers and listeners can keep enjoying the thrill of new music.


Tickets can be purchased on the Epiphany Center for the Arts website: https://epiphanychi.com/events/fulcrum-point-new-music-project/


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Fulcrum Point 25th Anniversary Concert: A Celebration of Chicago Trumpet
Mar
21
8:00 PM20:00

Fulcrum Point 25th Anniversary Concert: A Celebration of Chicago Trumpet

  • Holtschnieder Performance Center of DePaul University (map)
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Save the date!

International Trumpet Virtuoso Håkan Hardenberger joins Fulcrum Point New Music Project Artistic Director Stephen Burns, CSO Principal Trumpeter Esteban Batallán, Lyric Opera’s Rebecca Oliverio with DePaul Faculty member Paul Lowry in a program of dazzling trumpet solos, duos, trios, quartets, and Trumpet Ensembles.

Tickets can be purchased on the DePaul School of Music website

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AuxIn: Connected! Channeling Charles Mingus
Jan
26
7:30 PM19:30

AuxIn: Connected! Channeling Charles Mingus

  • Epiphany Center for the Arts (map)
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Charles Mingus is one of the great composers, musicians, and visionaries of all time. In jazz, he paved a path for musicians and composers to explore new and exciting veins of creative and improvisational music. This night of music will be a celebration of the creative genius that is Charles Mingus. All pieces are inspired by a Mingus composition, album, or by his creative vision. A quartet, led by Angelo Hart, and including Jake Wark on sax, Ben Dillinger on bass and Tommaso Moretti on drums, the goal is always to create an organic and flowing conversation between musicians. One characteristic of Charles Mingus's arrangements is group or collective improvisation. We see it in many of his different groups. The quartet will embody Mingus's approach to this while trying to capture the spirit of Mingus.

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The Freedom Songs: 24th Annual Concert for Peace
Dec
14
7:30 PM19:30

The Freedom Songs: 24th Annual Concert for Peace

  • Epiphany Center for the Arts (map)
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Fulcrum Point New Music Project presents our 24th Annual Concert for Peace with the American Premiere of Dutch avant-pop composer JacobTV's The Freedom Songs.

In autumn 2021, Fulcrum Point's Stephen Burns, Steve Roberts and special guest Cynthia Yeh traveled to the Netherlands to join composer Jacob TV for a European tour of The Freedom Songs.

Now JacobTV travels to Chicago to join us for our Annual Concert for Peace, originally scheduled for 2021 but postponed due to Covid travel restrictions.

The Freedom Songs is JacobTV’s multi-media ode to freedom is inspired by the words of The Buddha, Fannie Lou Hamer, MLK, Malcom X, Hegel and others. Composed 75 years after Europe’s liberation from fascism the oratorio takes FDR’s Four Freedoms speech and expands them in a 75’ electroacoustic tone bath with video.

Stephen Burns, flugelhorn/trumpet; Steve Roberts, electric guitar; Cheryl Wilson, voice; Cynthia Yeh, percussion.

Click this button for the complete program notes, including song titles, lyrics, and artist biographies.

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Fulcrum Point + The Bridge: Epiphany of Improvisation
Nov
3
7:30 PM19:30

Fulcrum Point + The Bridge: Epiphany of Improvisation

  • Epiphany Center for the Arts (map)
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Fulcrum Point New Music Project and The Bridge, a Transatlantic Network for Jazz and Creative Music, present their second collaboration of 2022. Join us as we bring together creative improvisors from France and Chicago for a unique, one-time only concert event.

Eight brilliant improvisors in two sets of spontaneous musical creativity in the awesome acoustic space of the Sanctuary at Epiphany Center for the Arts.

Featuring Christian Dillingham, bass; Gaspar Claus, cello; Carmani Edwards, bass; Angelo Hart, piano; Gerrit Hatcher tenor sax; Erwan Keravec, bagpipes; Chad McCullough, trumpet; with Marvin Tate, voice.

The Bridge is a transatlantic organization that associates nearly 150 French and North American musicians divided into quartets and quintets. This long list respects the sociological diversity of the jazz field: men and women of all generations and backgrounds, who will be brought together, one after another, configuration after configuration. And its aesthetic diversity: music as a means of expression and as a means of experimentation, music as a domain of possibility. All of them show invaluable capacities to share their knowledge and craft, both on- and off-stage.

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Terra Infirma: Healing the Earth
Oct
12
7:30 PM19:30

Terra Infirma: Healing the Earth

Composers Emily Doolittle, Derek Bermel, Paul Oehlers, and Judith Shatin address climate change, prairie restoration, and the impending extinction of too many species.  Their intermedia works create a dialogue between whales, birds, amphibians, and the acoustic instruments of Fulcrum Point artists set in the context of vivid video and imagery.

Social sounds from whales at night | Emily Doolittle (World Premiere)
Stephen Burns, trumpet & percussion

Nine Revolutions | Derek Bermel (Midwest Premiere)
Mathias Tacke, violin; Kate Carter, violin; Sarah Plum, viola; Paula Kosower, cello

Phoenix Rising | Paul Oehlers
Commissioned by Brenda Shapiro for The Nature Conservancy

Terra Infirma | Judith Shatin
1. Birds
2. Fall-Winter: Mammals & Fish
3. Spring: Reptile, Amphibians

Fulcrum Point Ensemble:
Stephen Burns, trumpet/conductor 
Jeremy Ruthrauff, soprano/tenor saxophone
Rebecca Oliverio, trumpet
Andy Baker, trombone
Andy Cierny, percussion
Kathleen Carter, violin
Mathias Tacke, violin
Sarah Plum, viola
Paula Kosower, cello
Darlene Castro, intermedia technology

Student special: Use the promo code FPNATURE at checkout to get half-price tickets.

Excerpt from Phoenix Rising.

The first multimedia music composition ever commissioned by the Nature Conservancy and premiered by Fulcrum Point New Music Project at the Harris Theater in 2009, Phoenix Rising applies a formalized music system to the subject of controlled prairie burns as a means of halting invasive species. Using video and audio from prairie fires and musical quotes from music relating to fire and prairie fields, as well as original musical elements.

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Fulcrum Point Presents Angelo Hart: Space and Dissonance
Jul
22
8:30 PM20:30

Fulcrum Point Presents Angelo Hart: Space and Dissonance

Fulcrum Point New Music Project Presents
AuxIn: Connected!
Angelo Hart: Space and Dissonance

Pianist, composer and improviser Angelo Hart makes his AuxIn: Connected! featured artist debut. Angelo is Fulcrum Point's 2022-23 season co-curator alongside violinist Caitlin Edwards. 

This set features original improvisational ideas by Angelo with a focus on musical components that zero in on the intimacy of creative music: Space and Dissonance. Joining Angelo will be drummer Avreeayl Ra and saxophonist Dave Rempis. 

Angelo Hart has always had a unique and expressive approach to his instrument. Angelo has studied jazz and classical legends such as Thelonius Monk, Art Tatum, Cecil Taylor, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Debussy, Liszt, Chopin, Beethoven, and many more. He approaches the piano with command and finesse, displaying a unique relationship and connection between the two of them. His latest album, My Song For You, was released on May 1, 2022.

Avreeayl Ra is a Chicago legend in the richly progressive avant-garde jazz scene over a career that has spanned more than a half a century. His muscular, soul-seeded beats have been described as stirring tempos that drive animated sonic conversations. His boundless versatility refracts an infinite sonic spectrum in the improvisational soundscape he has co-created in the many cultural communities to which he belongs.

Dave Rempis has been an integral part of the thriving Chicago jazz and improvised music scene since 1997. Rempis’ musical expression draws on a number of touchstones. While heavily improvisational in nature, his Greek ethnicity, studies in jazz and ethnomusicology, an appreciation for the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary composition, and a love for unforgivingly strident yelps, screeches, and squeals all inform his work.

AuxIn: Connected! is a series of pop-up events hosted by Fulcrum Point New Music Project that connect  rising professionals with emerging musicians throughout Chicago. Held in clubs and bars, each mixer features a unique line-up of new art music designed to stimulate curiosity and conversation. Come solo or bring a date, grab a drink, and experience something completely new.

The concert will also be live streamed. If you watch , please support the artists by purchasing a livestream ticket. Find the link at the Buy Tickets button above.

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Fulcrum Point Presents: Joy Guidry's Radical Acceptance
Jul
1
8:30 PM20:30

Fulcrum Point Presents: Joy Guidry's Radical Acceptance

Fulcrum Point New Music Project
AuxIn: Connected!
Curated by Caitlin Edwards

Fulcrum Point New Music Project presents NYC-based bassoonist and composer Joy Guidry.

Radical self-love, compassion, laughter, and the drive to amplify Black artmakers and noisemakers comprise the core of Joy Guidry’s work. Their performances have been hailed by The San Diego Tribune as “lyrical and haunting…hair-raising and unsettling.” A versatile improviser and a composer of experimental, daring new works that embody a deep love of storytelling, Joy’s own music channels their inner child in honor of their ancestors and predecessors.

Radical Acceptance is the title of Joy’s new album, and it tells their story of processing trauma, self-care, self-love, and finding hope for the future. Drawing inspiration from the work of Sonya Renee Taylor, who has defined radical self-love as “its own entity, a lush and verdant island are offering safe harbor for self-esteem and self-confidence.” While Joy’s musical offerings represent a range of musical idioms and methodologies from improvisation and graphic scores to multimedia and gospel, the uniting principle for Guidry is a focus on the importance of affirmation, validation, and self-care.

The concert features Joy Guidry on bassoon, theremin, voice, electronics, and video.

8:30pm | Radical Acceptance
9:30pm | A deep dive into Radical Acceptance with audience Q&A

Proof of COVID vaccination and photo ID required for entry.

Tickets are $15. The show will also be live streamed on the Constellation YouTube Channel. If you watch the livestream, please support the artists by purchasing a livestream ticket.

AuxIn: Connected! is a series of pop-up parties connecting rising professionals with emerging musicians throughout Chicago. Held in clubs and bars, each mixer features a unique line-up of new art music designed to stimulate curiosity and conversation. Come solo or bring a date, grab a drink, and experience something completely new.

Caitlin Edwards is a classically trained violinist, arranger, recording artist, and teacher based in Chicago. She is a 2021 3Arts/Walder Foundation award recipient. Caitlin released her debut album Exhale in August of 2021. She has performed with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra, Nairobi Philharmonic, Grant Park Festival Orchestra, and Chicago Sinfonietta. She’s played and recorded with artists such as John Legend, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Common, and with PJ Morton’s on his “Gumbo Album”, for which she received a Grammy Certificate. She also recorded for the Disney movie score, The Lion King, with the ReCollective Orchestra at Sony Studios. Caitlin’s current projects include writing and arranging strings for upcoming projects, remote recording for albums, teaching, and working on her EP set to debut summer of 2021.

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Discoveries: Hear & Be Heard: NextGen
May
23
7:00 PM19:00

Discoveries: Hear & Be Heard: NextGen

Holtschneider Performance Center of DePaul University
2330 N. Halsted Street, Chicago 60614

Discoveries: Hear & Be Heard: NextGen
Fulcrum Point New Music Projects presents
The Pyrenean String Quartet plays works by DePaul University Student Composers
Discussion moderated by Fulcrum Point Artistic Director Stephen Burns

Depaul University’s Composition Department and Fulcrum Point New Music Project are co-sponsoring two exciting collaborative events this spring. The Pyrenean String Quartet has been invited to DePaul University for a collaboration with their student composers this spring. New works will be workshopped and performed in two separate events. The workshops were in April and the selected compositions will be performed at this May 23rd concert, which is presented at the Allen Recital Hall of DePaul's Holtschneider Performance Center.

The concert is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Register at https://events.depaul.edu/event/composers_forum_fulcrum_point

PROGRAM:

Rhapsody on a Country Tune | Luke Sailstad

Digression | Dominic Reyes

Lesson 4 | Sam Kudra

Vulnerability | Corinne Klein

Golem | Jimmy Levi

Expanding Personalities | Xavier Davenport

Looking In | Justin Torzala

Pyrenean String Quartet
Kate Carter and Rika Seko, violins
Claudia Lasareff-Mironoff, viola
Paula Kosower, violoncello

All patrons must show proof of Covid-19 vaccination and identification at their time of entry. Face masks required. For more information on Holtschneider Performance Centers Covid safety policy visit https://music.depaul.edu/.../Pages/COVID_19-Safety.aspx

The Pyrenean String Quartet was founded in July of 2020 during the pandemic. We found comfort together as a “pod” making music during this challenging time by exploring works in depth while isolated from most of our other musical colleagues, friends and family. Throughout the pandemic we performed, live-streamed, and recorded a number of traditional and contemporary string quartets for Chicago arts organizations including the Fulcrum Point New Music Project and the Chicago Philharmonic. These projects were primarily fund raisers for fellow musicians in need. In 2021 we celebrated Adolphus Hailstork’s 80th birthday by performing his String Quartet #1 for him via Fulcrum Point's live streamed YouTube concert. We were featured at New Music Chicago’s Impromptu Fest performing Eleanor Alberga’s String Quartet No 3 and later that year recorded a new string quartet called Chants and Antiphons by Lawrence Axelrod for his latest CD.

The Quartet's members have participated in workshops and masterclasses with student and professional composers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Chicago, Merit School of Music, Northeastern Illinois University, DePaul University, Bowling Green University, and also under the auspices of Fulcrum Point New Music Project’s Discoveries series and Picosa.

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Fulcrum Point Brass: The New Romantics
May
21
4:30 PM16:30

Fulcrum Point Brass: The New Romantics

  • Lutheran Church of the Ascension (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Lutheran Church of the Ascension, 460 Sunset Ridge Road Northfield, IL, 60093.

Neo-romantic works for brass quintet.

Presented by Lutheran Church of the Ascension’s “One Tree, Many Branches” concert series.

Program curation: Stephen Burns & Mischa Zupko

“These composers represent three generations of artists who are inspired by their religion, traditional music from around the world, as well as the subtle sounds and variations in our environment to be appreciated and transmuted through careful observation and imagination.” - Stephen Burns

Introit | Jonathan Bailey Holland
Street Songs Michael Tilson Thomas
AC’s Turning | Trevor Weston
Copperwave | Joan Tower
Take My Hand | Heidi Joosten
Frost Fire | Eric Ewazen

Stephen Burns, trumpet
Rebecca Oliverio, trumpet
Matthew Oliphant, French Horn
Felix Regalado, trombone
Scott Tegge, tuba

All are welcome, admission is free! Face masks are optional.

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