MIT's concert calendar this week has something for everyone, whether your taste runs to chamber music, contemporary Greek songs, unaccompanied adornments of the human voice or work composed primarily for nine B-flat clarinets.
Dec. 3: Boston premiere of Harbison work
The MIT Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dante Anzolini, will perform Ravel's "Rhapsody Espagnole," Debussy's "La mer," and Mozart's "Adagio and Fugue." The program also includes the Boston premiere of Institute Professor John Harbison's "Partita," which was called "imaginative and playful but also complex" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune when premiered by the Minnesota Orchestra in 2001. In this work, Harbison divides the orchestra in two sections, one low and a faster, later high section. Harbison has likened the piece to math problems where one calculates the arrival of trains leaving the station at different speeds or at different times. The Symphony delivers this problem set on Friday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. Admission is $5 at the door.
Dec. 4: Surprises from The Chorallaries; Wind Ensemble folk songs
The Chorallaries of MIT, the Institute's oldest co-ed a cappella group, will perform its fall concert on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. in Room 54-100. Noting that the Chorallaries "don't like to give away our surprises," publicity director Sandra Rindler will only divulge that the program will be comprised almost entirely of new songs with a few old favorites. They'll share the bill with The Method, an a cappella group that includes Chorallaries alum Bernard Levin (S.B.2000) and senior Chris Vu, formerly of the MIT Logarhythms.
"Folk Song Revelers and Revelations" is the title of the MIT Wind Ensemble's program on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. The concert , directed by Frederick Harris, will feature "Lincolnshire Posy," Percy Grainger's masterful transformation of English folk songs; Gustav Holst's Second Suite in F; Prokofiev's March, op. 99; and Peter Schickele's "Monochrome III" for clarinet nonet, and music for brass, percussion, and woodwind chamber ensembles. Admission is $5 at the door.
Dec. 5: Concert Band; contemporary Greek songs
On Sunday, Dec. 5, the Concert Band under the direction of Thomas E. Reynolds will perform John Barnes Chance's "Variations on a Korean Folk Song,," H. Owen Reed's "La Fiesta Mexicana," Davide Della Cese's "Inglesina," Shostakovich's "Festive Overture," Stephen Melillo's "Once More Into the Breach!" and Hindemith's "March from Symphonic Metamorphosis." Refreshments will follow the 8 p.m. concert, which takes place in Kresge Auditorium.
The Greek Institute and the MIT Hellenic Student Association host a concert of contemporary Greek songs performed by Panos Liaropoulos, piano; Theodoulos Vakanas, violin bouzouki; Panayota Haloulakos, voice; Ledios Damis, bass and George Lernis, percussion on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Kresge Little Theater. Tickets cost $20, $12 MIT affiliates, $8 students with valid ID. For tickets or more information, call The Greek Institute at 617-547-4770 or Nikolaos Mavridis at 617-230-9752.
Dec. 5-7: Chamber Music Society
The MIT Chamber Music Society's fall series takes place December 5-7, with concerts at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Killian Hall. Coordinated by Professor Marcus Thompson and coached by MIT music faculty, the Chamber Music Society is comprised of students selected by audition.
