October 2010 Nor Cal Update Issue:
Welcome to the Ancient Future Times Northern California Edition
In This Issue of the Ancient Future Times:
Works on Concert Programs Announced
•Works to be performed October 21, House Concert, San Francisco; October 23, Trinity Chamber Concerts, Berkeley; November 3, Sonoma Valley Regional Library, Sonoma
Free MP3 at San Francisco Classical Voice
•SFCV Celebrates Concerts with free mp3 of “Sangria” from Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar
San Francisco Chronicle Pink Section Picks Ancient Future
•Ancient Future at Trinity Chamber Concerts is Bay Area Arts and Entertainment Pick for Saturday, October 23
Local Classical Music Hero Needs Immediate Support
•The Composers' House, venue of pianist Seth Montfort, needs to raise $1,000 immediately to avoid eviction before five San Francisco Concerto Orchestra concerts in November
Works on Concert Programs Announced
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 7:30 pm, Natural Resonance Concert Series Presents Ancient Future Duet featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, Glissentar) and Mariah Parker (santur), Natural Resonance Concert Series, House Concert @ home of Steve & Diane Leonoudakis, San Francisco CA 94117. Tix: $15 online at Eventbrite and $20 at the door. Reservations email: Steve Leonoudakis at stepndi@gmail.com. The Natural Resonance program focuses on works making full use of the natural resonance of the scalloped fretboard guitar, Glissentar (11 string fretless guitar), and santur. Program information.
Saturday, October 23, 2010, 8 pm, Ancient Future in World Chamber Music Program featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, Glissentar) Mariah Parker (Steinway grand piano, santur) and Ian Dogole (percussion), Trinity Chamber Concerts, Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana Street between Bancroft Way & Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704. Tix: $15 General, $10 Senior/ Disabled/ Student. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. To reserve a ticket call 510-549-3864. The Trinity Chamber Concerts program focuses on world chamber music by Matthew Montfort, Mariah Parker and contemporary composers such as Egberto Gismonte and Lou Harrison. Program information.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010, 7 pm, The Sonoma County Libraries Present Ancient Future In Concert Celtic Raga Program Featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar, Glissentar) with Ferhan Qureshi (tabla), Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 West Napa Street, Sonoma, CA 95476. Free admission. Info: Call Stephan Buffy at 707-996-5217. The Celtic Raga program includes a premier performance of a gat in Rag Kalyan by Matthew Montfort and a raga development treatment of the traditional Celtic tune, “Banish Misfortune.” Program information.
Free MP3 at San Francisco Classical Voice
To celebrate Ancient Future's fall concerts, for the week of October 19 through 26, the San Francisco Classical Voice is hosting a free mp3 of Mariah Parker's composition “Sangria,” from Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar by Matthew Montfort.
“Matthew Montfort has been perfecting his technique on the scalloped fretboard guitar for over 30 years. After decades performing with the world music collective Ancient Future, his first solo release, Seven Serenades for Scalloped Fretboard Guitar, puts the focus firmly on this unique instrument. Made by carving out the wood between frets on a standard guitar, the scalloped fretboard allows Matthew to create embellishments that are reminiscent of a sitar. Sample the sounds of his signature instrument as they intertwine with composer Mariah Parker’s santur and the violin of Patti Weiss. Matthew Montfort will be appearing with Ancient Future on Oct. 21st in San Francisco and Oct. 23rd in Berkeley.” — SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
San Francisco Chronicle Pink Section Picks Ancient Future
The San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Datebook (Pink Section), selected Ancient Future's performance at Trinity Chamber Concerts as their Bay Area arts and entertainment pick for Saturday, October 23. Below is their recommendation:
S
MUSIC
Ancient Future
“Ancient Future is the first and longest-running musical organization of its kind and a pioneer of creating world fusion music. Ancient Future has collaborated with master musicians from more than two dozen countries, cultures and musical traditions. It's a large multinational ensemble with an outgrowth of smaller ensembles. All are dedicated to creating a musical world without borders. $10-$15. 8 p.m. Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Berkeley. (510) 549-3864, www.trinitychamberconcerts.com.” — Kathleen Dixon, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Local Classical Music Hero Needs Immediate Support
Much of this issue of the Ancient Future Times has to do with the classical music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area, so it would be a great oversight not mention an amazing local musical hero: pianist and composer Seth Montfort, the brother of Ancient Future leader Matthew Montfort. Seth Montfort manages to produce and perform classical music concerts of the highest caliber at The Composers' House in Guerneville, California, all on small amounts of money raised from local music lovers.
His venue, The Composers' House, needs to raise $1,000 immediately to avoid eviction before five San Francisco Concerto Orchestra concerts in November. If you are looking for an end of year tax write off, your contribution, made payable to San Francisco Concerto Orchestra (a 501(c)3 charity, tax id 94-3227721), may be sent to:
San Francisco Concerto Orchestra
P. O. Box 868
Guerneville, CA 95446-0868
If you send a tax deductible donation, please email seth@sfconcerto.org or call (707) 604-7600 or 7606 to inform him of your pledge.