The Grace In Letting Go is an improvising trio (vocalist Michele Khazak, percussionist Lalo Bello, drummer Adam Kessler) exercising emotional and psychological catharsis via sound in real time. The performance philosophy is simple: whether negative or positive, new or old – whatever thought or feeling comes along is immediately released, creating space for whatever comes next, which in turn is also immediately released; bring it with you, let it go. PK (Paul Kemmish) opens with a solo bass set.

Roger Nelson and Neal Meyer present a simultaneous performance of John Cage’s one-minute stories (Nelson), and Part III of Cage’s epic text composition, Empty Words (Meyer). Cage’s stories are alternately hilarious, poetic, and epiphanic. Empty Words, Part III is a mix of words, syllables, and letters from the Journal of Henry David Thoreau. The performance is a tribute to the classic Folkways album, Indeterminacy, in which Cage recorded his stories in one room, while David Tudor performed Cage’s Solo for Piano in another.

Presented by The Box Is Empty. Saxophonist Evan Smith, an avid commissioner of new saxophone works, performs a program highlighting new electro-acoustic music: on and off, off and on by Anthony Vin, Jillian Whitaker’s like quicksand, Nat Evans’s Two Old Ghosts, and Jacob ter Veldhuis’s The Garden of Love. Reviewed in the Seattle Star by Omar Willey.

Formed in 2011 the Sam Boshnack Quintet performs all original music composed and performed by Samantha Boshnack (trumpets) with Beth Fleenor (clarinets/voice), Dawn Clement (piano), Isaac Castillo (bass), and Max Wood (drums). Boshnack creates work with intricately woven soundscapes harboring deep grooves and punctuated, explosive improvisations. Featuring Beth Fleenor, Amy Denio & Craig Flory, the Amplified Clarinet Trio performs all improvised music using clarinets and electronics.

Five established improvisers involved in diverse stylistic practices converge for the first time to produce music that encompasses extended techniques, curved thoughts and emotional wanderings: Seattle natives Greg Campbell (percussion), Stuart Dempster (trombone), and Lori Goldston (cello) meet Oregon residents Kevin Patton (guitar) and Dana Reason (piano).

Presented by WA Composers Forum. Pianist Corey Hamm performs new Canadian works plus music chosen from a call for scores: Touch (2013) by Keith Hamel for piano and electronics Idee Fixe by Jordan Nobles (2012), Étude No. 5 Legatospiele by Noel Lee, Minute Etudes Book One (1998) by Emily Doolittle, Falling (2011) by Amy Williams, Five (Ephemera, Toccatina, Reverie, Echoes, Quicksilver) (2012) by Dorothy Chang.

Patrick Breiner and Cathlene Pineda have an exploratory musical relationship: Pineda pushing Breiner’s harmonic sense into new territories and Breiner forcing Pineda to seek out new timbral possibilities. The audience is as likely to see the two of them playing the inside of the piano as they are to hear a wistful ballad or a scorching fire-breather. Seattle percussionist and composer Paul Kikuchi presents new compositions for septet, with Jacob Zimmerman (alto saxophone), Taina karr (oboe), Thomas Ager (trumpet), Greg Campbell (French horn), Lori Goldston (cello), Jon Hamar (doublebass).

Pianist, composer, and experimentalist Tim Root premiers his new Music/Theatre/Performance work, Kerplunk for amplified instruments, voices, electronics, movement and foot-Foley. Blending Kagel, Kaprow and Kafka, Kerplunk tells the story of an abduction, a girl with a missing leg, an unhinged veterinarian and a fateful bus ride. Featuring Beth Fleenor (amplified clarinet, voice), Eric Barber (sax, electronics, spoken text), Bill Horist (prepared guitar, canine autopsy) and Tim Root (inside/prepared piano, electronics, voice).

Presented by UW School of Music. Inverted Space is a new student-led ensemble devoted to performing the music of our time. Tonight we present a program of music by UW student composers: Anthony Vine, work for saxophone and electronics; Abby Aresty, Efflux for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and percussion; Jeffery Bowen, Stalasso II for flute, violin, cello, and piano; Joshua Archibald-Seiffer, Piano Trio for violin, cello, and piano; Yigit Kolat, rejected for flute, violin, cello, and piano; Kim Rivera, The Flock Becomes Empty for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, soprano, and speaker

Presented by Hollow Earth Radio. Of Magic (Lori Goldston, cello; Paul Hoskin, low reeds; Dave Abramson & Paul Kikuchi, percussion); A White Hunter (Oak); Bad Luck (Neil Welch, sax; Chris Icasiano, drums); Scorpio Scorpio Scorpio