content="Founded in 1975 as the 20th Century Consort, the 21st Century Consort became the resident ensemble for contemporary music at the Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in 1978."

In Season

2008— 2009 Season

The 21st Century Consort, new music ensemble-in-residence at the Smithsonian Institution for 3 decades, embarks on its third season at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium. Led by artistic director Christopher Kendall and featuring some of Washington’s finest chamber musicans, including Sara Stern, Paul Cigan, Gabrielle Finck, Lisa Emenheiser, Tom Jones, Elisabeth Adkins, Rachel Young, and Rick Barber, along with acclaimed guest vocalists Lucy Shelton and William Sharp and others, the Consort presents the riveting and resonant music of our time.

All concerts are at 5:00, preceded by a 4:00 discussion with composers and performers, and followed by a post-concert reception

I. October 25, 2008

OCTOBER SURPRISE

Anticipating two scary events - Halloween and the election with music fit for a D.C. season of high anxiety.
MOE, ERIC
DEAK, JON
KUSS, MARK
GRUBER, HK
Three Ways to Relieve Tension  
Lucy and the Count        
Fear (Premier)            
Frankenstein            

II. December 6, 2008

NATURAL AFFINITIES

Reflecting the Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibitions of Ansel Adams and Georgia O’Keeffe

COPLAND, AARON       
SAARIAHO, KAIJA       
TOWER, JOAN       
THOMAS, AUGUSTA READ
.

Fantasy                
Petals                    
And They’re Off/Holding a Daisy/Big Sky
a circle around the sun/ Moon Jig    

III. February 21, 2009

RECALLING VALENTINES

Some Valentines we like to recall, and others we’d prefer to re-call; music for both

DRUCKMAN, JACOB        
MAW, NICHOLAS        
DAVID FROOM        
THOMAS, AUGUSTA READ    RICHARD WERNICK        
KRASH, JESSICA        

Valentine     
Voice of Love    
Aubade        
Love Twitters    
Poison Tree    
Valentine       

IV. April 4, 2009

MUSIC OF MAGIC AND LIGHT

Invoking spring with light (Jenny Holzer's "For SAAM"), magic and music.

SCHINDLER, ALLAN    
DOPPMANN, WILLIAM     
MOE, ERIC        
DRUCKMAN, JACOB 

Vessels of Magic    
Spring Songs        
Grand Prismatic       
Lamia 

V. Summer 2009 (Washington National Cathedral)

TROPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC



NICHOLS, JEFF   
PRIMOSCH, JAMES
REICH, STEVE   
KELLOGG, DANIEL
The Light Fantastic    
Sacra Conversazione   
Typing Music       
Divinum Mysterium   

*Programs subject to change.