Sax Duo Brings Dynamic Performance

On Feb. 10, as part of the Outpost Concert Series hosted by Riverside Arts Block, the dynamic Sax Duo “Ogni Suono” performed at the Culver Center of the Arts. The event was free and open to the public. The program hosted six unique songs, including, three world premieres from Ogni Suono “Ototoi,” “Vocalise II,” and “Ask.” Ogni Suono collaborated on a piece with composer and Assistant Professor of Digital Composition at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), Ian Dicke. Additionally, Dicke is the curator for the Outpost Concert Series presented by UCR Artsblock and UCR Department of Music. The Outpost Concert Series is in its third season and works to bring groundbreaking music from around the country to Riverside in an effort to connect to the national music scene. “This concert series is artist driven,” said Dicke. “When I moved to Riverside and started this job I thought about what would be best way to present to this community in terms of music. I was torn between a marathon festival or a concert series. I thought a more sustained concert series over several months would maybe serve the community better.” The series began in in September 2015 with composer and double bass player from Bordeaux, France, based out of Brooklyn NY, Florent Ghy. The series included Grammy-nominated pianist Aron Kallay. In December 2015 the series introduced Pause, an ensemble featuring five musicians from Alarm Will Sound, Erin Lesser (flute), Michael Clayville (trombone), Chris Thompson (percussion), John Orfe (piano) and Courtney Orlando (violin) with collaboration from composers including Dicke, Texu Kim (Korea), John Orfe (Illinois) and Charlie Piper (United Kingdom) and visual artists from UCR created and performed a multimedia projected that revisited Edward Steichen’s 1955 exhibition, “The Family of Man.” “I am looking for diversity of sound that they will be generating from the stage, so that we don’t only have piano, etc. Diversity in general in contemporary music has not been great, but there has been a resurgence and new call to it,” Dicke said. “We want to connect Riverside’s music scene with the national scene. So we have people who come from New York tonight for example. Other times its Bay Area and Chicago. This is definitely a national event and we want people from all over the place. We do have occasional Los Angles artists as well, why not serve the local community in that sense too.” Ogni Suono specifically is a Sax Duo presented by Noa Even and Phil Pierick. The two formed Ogni Suono in 2009 and work to expand contemporary music, often collaborating with composers and other performers, presenting diverse programs to a wide range of audiences across the United States and abroad. In the performance the duo in several pieces combined vocal and instrument together, unifying singing and playing. “Each piece challenges us in different ways, which was why we wanted to do this project with our voices, it was to give us new performative challenges,” said musician Noa Even. “I think it is great for any community to get new arts. A visual art center is a great place to combine music, it makes for great sound. But, to have art around to look at while listening to music. It just makes sense to combine the two. I think any community deserves to be exposed to new art that is happening. Its great this outpost series is happening. I am inspired by the size of the audience tonight and the interest in our program. You don’t get that everywhere and it shows an eager community to hear new music.” On March 8 the series will conclude with Quince, a contemporary vocal ensemble comprised of vocalists Elizabeth Pearse, Kayleigh Butcher, Amanda DeBoer Bartlett, and Carrie Henneman Shaw. “I think that an important aspect of this is that anyone can come, and we want everyone to come. These days there is a problem nationally with music education in schools. To have a concert series like this and expose people to music they would not have heard otherwise or encountered during their primary education for instance, is very rewarding,” Dicke said. For Nicole Perez, a fourth year music and psychology student at UCR, the performance was an opportunity to see music outside her area. “When they give these types of opportunities, being a musician usually you are practicing and usually don’t get to go out and see something. As a brass player, this was way out of my area so it was nice to see people out of my area play. It can help when you try compose something.” Additionally, Perez saw the impact the series could have on the community outside of musicians. “I think an event like this for the community is a good introduction to something new. I actually saw a mom walk in with her daughter and when you think about it, it’s important especially for kids. They may ask 'what is that instrument' or 'I want to know more.' It may result in a new saxophone player.” “These are events for the community to enjoy and get something out of. These are informal gatherings, low pressure settings, not like a stuffy concert hall. It’s in the beauty of downtown Riverside,” said Dicke.