The Music Gallery presents

Emergents III: Jana Luksts + Happenstance

part of the Emergents Series

Curated by Sara Constant

In this Emergents concert, contemporary music specialists present two side-by-side takes on the future of the classical recital. Performing rarely-heard works alongside new performer-composer collaborations, pianist Jana Luksts and ensemble Happenstance will present recital projects shaped around reimagining how classical music can sound, transforming the chamber music format into something new.

Jana Luksts is a pianist fiercely dedicated to the performance of contemporary classical music. Luksts has performed at festivals and workshops in Canada, Greece, Finland, and Germany, and is currently pursuing her Masters Neue Musik at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart (Germany). In a new solo set at the Music Gallery, she will present music by Gundega Šmite, Mark Andre, and Elaine Lillios, as well as a newly-commissioned work by ZongYun We.

The second half features Toronto-based ensemble/concert series Happenstance. Happenstance features a core band of pianist Nahre Sol and clarinetist Brad Cherwin, who work with guest artists to combine contemporary repertoire with works from the classical canon. At the Music Gallery they will join forces with soprano Alexandra Smither, in a program of chamber music for clarinet, piano and voice—featuring Canadian premieres of works by Pascal Dusapin and Wolfgang Rihm, alongside new collective compositions by Sol and Cherwin based on material from Schubert lieder.

The Emergents Series is generously supported by Roger D. Moore.

SET 1: Jana Luksts, piano

ŠMITE, Gundega –Mercurium(2012, Canadian premiere)

WE, ZongYun – new work (2018, premiere)

ANDRE, Mark –Contrapunctus(1999)

LILLIOS, Elaine –Nostalgic Visions (2009)

SET 2: Happenstance (Brad Cherwin, clarinet; Nahre Sol, piano; Alexandra Smither, voice)

RIHM, Wolfgang – Das Namenlose (2006, Canadian premiere)

RIHM, Wolfgang –Zu Singen (2005, Canadian premiere)

SOL, Nahre/CHERWIN, Brad – Schubert Recompositions (2018, premiere)

DUSAPIN, Pascal – To God (1985)

DUSAPIN, Pascal – Echo’s Bones (2007, Canadian premiere)