Cellist Tyler Borden and pianist Mari Kawamura present Morton Feldman’s concert-length work, Patterns in a Chromatic Field. Written in the last decade of his life, this work is a unique example of his late style, known for long durations and unpredictable repetition. In his maturity, we find Feldman exploring different ways that ambiguity catalyzes performer interpretation and invites contemplation on the nature of the listener’s perception. Microtonal shadings ring against the equal tempered piano, creating complex rhythmic constellations that drift slowly through the air. Introduction and opening remarks by Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz Amy Beal

Tyler J. Borden is a cellist working with, in, and around the constraints of the cello. Formerly from Western NY, he is now based in Brooklyn NY, where he spends much of his time finding ways to exploit the strengths and failures of himself and his instrument. Hailed for his “technically polished playing” (Jan Jezioro, Artvoice) as well as his “astounding performances of superlatively difficult modernist solo works” (Edge of the Center), he is a dedicated purveyor of modern and experimental music. His improvisational approach developed over years of sessions and touring, both solo and with iconoclastic musicians such as Jack Wright, Brandon Lopez, and Steve Baczkowski. His language is informed by practical exploration of psychoacoustics, just intonation and his experience as a chamber musician specializing in contemporary music, playing with groups like the [Switch~ Ensemble], Ghost Ensemble, & Mivos Quartet. He has worked with composers such as Brian Ferneyhough, Alvin Lucier, Ambrose Akinmusire, & Catherine Lamb. He also regularly organizes concerts - currently, his curatorial efforts are mostly focused on High Desert Soundings, an outdoor festival in Wonder Valley CA, and Uptown Mainstream, the moniker under which he promotes concerts he organizes in Brooklyn.

Mari Kawamura is a concert pianist whose curiosity and wide-ranging interests have taken her in a variety of directions. Kawamura is drawn to music which utilizes the entirety of the piano as an expressive device, enjoying equally music which showcases its tremendous agility, and its ability to produce spacious resonances. Her repertoire includes music by William Byrd, Scriabin, Xenakis, and several Japanese composers such as Toru Takemitsu and Michio Mamiya. Kawamura has also collaborated with a number of living composers, premiering new works by Joseph Bourdeau, Annie Hui-Hsin Hsieh, Lil Lacy, and Anthony Vine among many others. Kawamura has presented solo recitals on concert series hosted by Carnegie Melon University, University of Northern Colorado, Piano Spheres in Los Angeles, and Center for New Music in San Francisco. She has also appeared in a number of major festivals, such as Tanglewood Music Center, Spoleto Festival USA, Darmstadt International Summer Course, and the SICPP in Boston, at which her 2013 performance of Xenakis’ Dikthas was described as "an unrelenting volcanic eruption" by NEWMUSICBOX. Her solo album, “MA ~ space between ~,” is available on Furious Artisan. 

Dr. Amy C. Beal is a pianist and musicologist, and has published four books on twentieth-century American music. She is Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz, and currently serves as Music Department Chair.