UO Musicking

Early music conference and more in Eugene this week

From April 12-16, the UO is hosting its first free and open to the public early music conference, Musicking, which includes lecture series, master classes and other coaching opportunities, along with stars from the admittedly geeky early music world, scholarly sessions and, of course, concerts, not to mention a “period-instrument petting zoo.”

See next week’s April 14 column for full details but the conference also includes free lunchtime concerts April 13-15 at Collier House and Marche Museum Cafe in the Schnitzer art museum. Other associated performances include organist Barbara Baird’s April 9 concert at Beall Hall (featuring music by J.S. Bach and one of his most admired composers, Nicolaus Bruhns), Belgian organist Willem Ceuleers’ April 14 organ concert at Beall Hall.

Outside the UO, the big classical music event is Eugene Vocal Arts’s world premiere of Portland composer Joan Szymko’s Shadow and Light this Friday and Sunday at Beall.

More Eastern European music arrives at The Shedd this Saturday, April 9, when Hungarian ensemble Söndörgo brings their lively tamburitza Balkan folk music and works by Bartok and more on the tambura mandolin, accordion and wind instruments. The Shedd hosts American music on April 13 when vibraphonist-drummer Chuck Redd brings his quartet to play classic swing.