Lullabies for Falling Empires was formed by composer Richard Webb after recording Under the Sour Trees, released as a split CD with producer/musician Jherek Bishoff. The group has been writing a collaborative song cycle that consists of chamber music, sonic landscapes, electronic sounds and quiet lullabies dedicated to soothing lost worlds, hopeless love and crumbling empires. Band members include Richard Webb (vocals, guitar, ukuleles, digital effects), Carlos Esparza (Fender Rhodes, piano, harp, glockenspiel, percussion, John Delp (percussion), Lillian Sullam (violin), Jackie An (viola), Tracy Hagan (cello) Asher Christl (cello, bass), Hanna Benn (vocals, bells), Leo Mayberry (video projections).

Pilot Books presents An Evening of Paper – unfolding as probable and improbable geography of the arts. Creative events auteur Sharon Alexander has arranged a montage of ideas, images and sounds for your experience and enjoyment. The early evening tabling portion of this event includes an array of innovative books, ephemera and artwork curated by Pilot Books and friends, including Speck Print, Profanity Hill and Dark Coast Press. Readings by Stacey Levine, Em Kanskje, Evelyn Hampton, Jarret Middleton, William Allegrezza, Summer Robinson, Tyler Holm, local zinesters and special guests. Music, field recordings, and soundscapes by Wilson Shook, John Teske, Moriah Neils, Ryan Rood and assorted improvisers. Short films . . . tea and oranges . . . sunset and stained glass.

Presented by Nonsequitur & Seattle Occultural Music. Los Angeles vocalist Anna Homler sings in a spontaneous mystery language, extending the possibilities of meaning and communication and blurring the line between words and music. She is joined by Seattle musicians Amy Denio, Lori Goldston, Byron Au Yong, Doug Haire, and Susie Kozawa.

The Third Annual Seattle Occultural Music Festival celebrates new and experimental music in the Pacific Northwest of psychic, ecological, or otherwise deeply resonant importance. Our diverse program incorporates performers and composers spanning the region’s breadth of genres and musical generations, consistently mixing established artists, new talent, and influence not from the immediate Seattle area. Tonight’s show features the psychedelic vocal harmonies of Honey Moon Tree, warped strings & voice of EQlateral, along with Christopher Greenchild, and Count Constantin‘s Voronets Blue.

Presented by Nonsequitur. Based in New York City, Shelley Hirsch is an unorthodox, extraordinary fusion of vocalist, composer, and performance artist whose work encompasses story telling, staged performances, compositions, improvisations, collaborations, installations, and radio plays. Among other things, she’ll be singing over electronic “song drapes” composed for her by the late, great Jerry Hunt.

The Seattle Composers’ Salon is an informal presentation of new music by regional composers. The salon meets the first Friday of every other month, and features finished works, previews, and works-in-progress. It brings together composers, performers and audience members in a casual setting that allows for discussion and experimentation.

This month’s featured composers include Gavin Borchert, David Mesler, and Tim Huling. We are also very excited to present new works by the winning student composers of the Simon Fiset Composition Competition. The student composers range in from primary to grade 12.

Presented by Washington Composers Forum and Jack Straw Productions as part of WCF’s Transport Series.

Washington Composers Forum celebrates its 25th anniversary with a concert of world and regional premieres featuring the Icicle Creek Piano Trio, Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet, violist Melia Watras, and the Seattle Phonographers Union. Highlighted on the program is the premiere of a new work by composer Wayne Horvitz, an inaugural commission by WCF, launching the organization’s new commissioning program. Program: Christopher Bailey, Harvest Kitchen Part IIa; Karlheinz Stochausen, Tierkreis; Seattle Phonographers Union, improvisation with unprocessed field recordings; Wayne Horvitz, world premiere of new work commissioned by WCF; Diane Thome, And Yet…; Huck Hodge, Zeremonie; John Cage, Third Construction.

Presented by Jack Straw Productions with assistance from 4Culture.

Long known to Seattle-area audiences as a pianist, Rachel Matthews presents an evening of her recent compositions. The program includes Voices of Trees for clarinet and piano, featuring clarinetist Laura DeLuca and the Seattle premiere of Piano Quintet, with violinists Mikhail Shmidt and Ingrid Matthews, violist Elizabeth Oakes, cellist Andrew Kolb, and Rachel Matthews on piano. Other works on the program include two world premieres: Partita for unaccompanied violin (inspired by the solo violin works of J.S. Bach), performed by Ingrid Matthews, for whom it was written, and Dreams for viola and piano, performed by internationally-acclaimed violist Helen Callus.

Presented by Nonsequitur and Washington Composers Forum.

The reclusive Maine composer Peter Garland (see previous post for bio) performs his own works for solo piano spanning four decades: Three Dawns (1981-82), After the Wars (2007-08), Bush Radio Calling (1992), and The Days Run Away (1971).

Presented by Nonsequitur and Washington Composers Forum.

Peter Garland is one of the great heirs of the cranky American Experimental Tradition that includes composers such as Ives, Ruggles, Cowell, Cage, Harrison, Nancarrow, and Partch. Currently living in Maine, Garland spent many years living in the American Southwest and Mexico, studying and absorbing various indigenous folk musics. His mature music combines elements of minimalism with folky dance rhythms and gentle lyricism to stunningly beautiful effect. Tonight’s program features some of Garland’s works for chamber ensembles, performed by Seattle musicians: I Have Had to Learn the Simplest Things Last (Cristina Valdes, piano; Pacific Rims Percussion Quartet, vibraphone/marimba/claves/tambourine); Songs of Exile & Wine (Emily Greenleaf, mezzo soprano; Cristina Valdes, piano); Symphony No. 1: “New Chants” (Sarah Bassingthwaighte, flute/piccolo; Jesse Canterbury, clarinet; Chris Stover, trombone).