Felder portrait concert to feature Arditti Quartet, Ensemble Signal

A portrait concert featuring the work of UB faculty member David Felder performed by the world-class Arditti Quartet and Ensemble Signal will take place May 9 on the North Campus.

The concert, presented by UB’s Robert and Carol Morris Center for 21st Century Music — where Felder, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Birge-Cary Chair in Music Composition, serves as director — will include Felder’s complete string quartets performed by the Arditti Quartet, and his violin concerto “Jeu de Tarot,” performed by Irvine Arditti and Ensemble Signal, conducted by Brad Lubman.

The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. Due to the technical and logistical requirements of the pieces, it will take place in two different venues: The first part will be in Baird Recital Hall, 250 Baird Hall; the second part will be in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall.

The first part of the program will feature the acclaimed Arditti Quartet playing Felder’s three works for the medium: “Third Face” (1998), “Stuck-Stücke” (2007) and “Netivot (2016). All three pieces were written for and premiered by the Arditti as part of a collaborative process dating back more than 20 years.

After intermission, the concert will move to Lippes Concert Hall for the performance of Felder’s “Jeu de Tarot” (2017), a concerto for solo violin and sinfonietta that draws its inspiration from the card deck long used as a method of divination. Irvine Arditti, for whom the work was written, will play the solo violin part, accompanied by Ensemble Signal.

The composition features seven short movements, titled after seven selected cards from the 22 major secrets of the Tarot deck: The Juggler, The Fool, The High Priestess, The Hermit, The Empress (Whorld), The Hierophant and Moonlight. Felder talks about The Juggler, the first movement, here.

More details of the concert program can be found on “Edge of the Center,” the Center for 21st Century Music’s blog.

As part of its visit to UB, the Arditti Quartet will also conduct a workshop with UB graduate composers.

Tickets for the Felder portrait concert are available through a variety of outlets at the following pricing structure:

UB faculty, staff, alumni, seniors and non-UB students

$10 plus $2 fee online at Ticketfly

$10 plus $4 fee by phone at 877-987-6487 (Ticketfly)

$14 in person at the Center for the Arts (noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday)

$17 in person at the door (one hour before concert time)

General public

$15 plus $2 fee online at Ticketfly

$15 plus $4 fee by phone at 877-987-6487 (Ticketfly)

$19 in person at the Center for the Arts (noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday)

$22 in person at the door (one hour before concert time)

UB students are admitted free with ID.

For a complete listing of all concerts being presented by the Department of Music, visit the department’s website.