16th Annual soundON Festival Series

San Diego New Music and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library present the 2024 soundON Festival, exploring cutting-edge contemporary music from around the world. This year we celebrate the music of San Diego composer and longtime friend of SDNM and NOISE Adam Greene, and we feature a new work by Mark Menzies commissioned by the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library and generously underwritten by Garna Muller.

Adam Greene trained as a guitarist and then studied composition at the New England Conservatory and UCSD. His music investigates multiplicity, fragility, and instability through sophisticated and idiosyncratic approaches to instrumental technique. Greek myths, especially Homer’s Odyssey and the story of Orpheus, inspire many of his works, including all of his five pieces presented at soundON this year, two of which will be world premieres.

This year we return to an old soundON tradition of highlighting the solo virtuosity of the members of NOISE, with challenging and adventurous works from many eras played by each of the seven musicians. And the ensemble once again introduces young and innovative composers, Jean-Patrick Besingrand, Patricia Martinez, Jérôme Combier, and Judith Ring—to San Diego.

Housing for artists is generously provided by Ann Craig and Garna Muller.

PROGRAM 

Friday, January 5, 7:30 PM
Athenaeum Art Center (note special location)

Adam Greene, Nostos: Conversations with the Dead for solo electric guitar and live signal processing
Adam Greene, Ogygia for solo electric guitar
Isang Yun, Monolog for solo bass clarinet
Russell Hartenberger, Black Coyote for solo percussion
William Roper, My Head Is Always Down for I No Longer Look for You for solo violin

Saturday, January 6, 7:30 PM
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Mark Menzies, newly commissioned work (world premiere)
Adam Greene, Persephoneia for bass flute (world premiere)
Jean-Patrick Besingrand, La Ultima Catabasi
Patricia Martinez, Tenuous Brilliance
Jérôme Combier, Dog Eat Dog

Sunday, January 7, 3 PM
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library

Adam Greene, Lōtós for electric guitar and ensemble (world premiere)
Adam Greene, Orpheus Dies for solo cello
Judith Ring, Fine Feathers
Franklin Cox, new work for flute and cello (world premiere)
Olivier Messiaen, Cantéyodjayâ for solo piano

PARTICIPANTS  

NOISE (Ensemble-in-Residence)
Christopher Adler, piano
Lisa Cella, flute
Franklin Cox, cello
Colin McAllister, classical guitar, electric guitar, and conductor
Mark Menzies, violin
Morris Palter, percussion
Robert Zelickman, clarinet

GUEST ARTISTS 
Matt Kline, conductor
Eric Starr, trombone
Ariana Warren, clarinet

Thank you to our Friends of soundON — Julia S. Falk, Ph.D., Drs. Sally and Einar Gall, Christian Hertzog and Susan Dorin, Garna Muller, Catherine and Robert Palmer, Erika and Fred Torri, Eric Starr and Sarah Skuster — and to the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library for their continued support. Thank you to Ann Craig and Garna Muller, to San Diego State University for providing rehearsal space and instruments, and to the University of San Diego for providing audio equipment.