I always do a tiny double-take when I see publicity for MATA, the organization dedicated to the work of young composers, since in Spanish "mata" can be translated as "it kills." This year's festival, on four nights at (Le) Poisson Rouge, looks particularly ready to slay listeners with unusual fare. Tonight's opener features Eric Jacobsen conducting The Knights Chamber Orchestra in works by Francesco Antonioni, Justin Messina, Joseph Pereira, Mike Block, Ted Hearne, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Andrew Hamilton. Wednesday features electronic works by Sawako, with Miguel Frasconi on glass instruments, and Cornelius Dufallo and Ariana Kim on violins. Also on the docket is Ne(x)tworks, with recent pieces by Dufallo, Kate Moore, Christopher McIntyre (MATA's Artistic Director) and Shelley Burgon.
After a one-night break, the festival resumes on Friday with the NOW Ensemble in music by Jascha Narveson, Patrick Burke, Greg Spears, David Crowell and Missy Mazzoli (also MATA's Executive Director). And in the second half, David Moore leads Bing and Ruth in his own works. To conclude on Saturday night, the indomitable guys of So Percussion dive into Cenk Ergün, Jason Treuting, and a new work by Nicole Lizée.
[Photo: Killer Shower Curtain, $19.98 from Things You Never Knew Existed]
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