“Contraption” on the barge

I just got word that the brilliant Geoffrey Burleson will give the first New York City performance of my set of piano pieces Pure Contraption, Absolute Gift. He will be playing the piece at Bargemusic on April 8, with a preview of one of the movements at an April 5 event at Good Shepherd-Faith Presbyterian Church, 152 W. 66th Street in NYC.

I first heard Geoff’s playing on Barbara White‘s excellent disc “Apocryphal Stories”, later enjoying his disc of the complete Arthur Berger piano music. Check out the videos on his website, including music by David Rakowski and Jacob TV.

Dinosaurs in Boston

It won’t fit in my schedule, but I wish I was going to the Dinosaur Annex concert in Boston this coming Sunday. It honors Martin Boykin, a senior figure who is perhaps a familiar presence in Boston, but really should be more widely known. He will have two pieces played, including a premiere, alongside music by Arthur Berger, Seymour Shifrin, Seung-Ah Oh, and Peter Lieberson. I imagine the Dinosaurs programmed the Lieberson before they knew it would, sadly, be a memorial performance.