Farewell Tour – Part 1

Jared Redmond, piano
Kurt Rohde, viola

Violist and composer Kurt Rohde has commissioned six new pieces, which he will perform in May 2018 in Davis, Sacramento, Berkeley, and San Francisco. This is the first year of a multi-year commissioning project, that is modeled after Cher’s decades long Farewell Tours, Kurt Rohde’s Farewell Tour—Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6—commissions new works by the most gifted composers that Rohde feels are underrepresented and deserve a wider audience, while also broadening the repertoire for viola. The project’s anticipated year of completion is 2028, at which time Mr. Rohde will retire from playing in performance and donate his instrument to “some talented whipper-snapper who wants to play viola.”

PROGRAM – World Premiere Performances

Martha HorstHammer for viola and piano
Jared Redmond, Tongues of Angels for viola and piano
Carl SchimmelContemplation on Vanessa in the Boneset for viola and piano
Ramteen SazegariCounterpane for amplified solo viola
Laura Schwendinger, Three Movements for solo viola
Mark WingesThe Contemplation of Unknown Islands for viola and piano

(plus some solo piano music by Henri Dutilleux and James Dillon)

PERFORMANCES
May 17, 12:05–1 pm, Davis
University of California, Davis
Ann E. Pitzer Center, Recital Hall
Admission is free. 

May 18, 7:00 pm, San Francisco
Center for New Music
Admission: $15 General, $10 Members

May 19, 7:00 pm, Sacramento
Sacramento Saturday Club 
Limited seating; contact Bruce Hubbard for reservation details.

May 20, 3:00 pm, Berkeley
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble House Concert
Limited seating; contact organization for reservation details.