Bam!

It's August, and for music lovers it means the 55th annual Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music--two weekends packed with the most adventurous orchestral music in the world, performed in a fairly casual setting, with a spirit that makes it accessible to the community. Composers are often on site and musicians are housed by members of the audience. We've ushered at this event for years--it's a chance to experience sounds that are way out of my comfort zone, and witness performances by world-class artists.  Rehearsals are free and open to the public. Today we sat in on a commissioned piece by Brazilian composer Clarice Assad. Her Ad Infinitum will have its world premiere on the opening night of the Festival, and features percussionist Evelyn Glennie. While the photo isn't the sharpest, I hope it gives a sense of Glennie's absolutely amazing focus and palpable raw energy. Seeing this woman perform takes my breath away. The extra shows a portion of her collection of instruments for this piece: bells and whistles and toys and shakers.