Because C is not just for Christmas, and how many more times do you need to see the Nutcracker, anyway??

Sometimes simplicity is the mother of invention, and with In C , Terry Riley composed nothing short of a classic and strongly influenced the works of Steve Reich, Philip Glass and John Adams as well as rock groups such as The Who, The Soft Machine, and Curved Air. In C is considered one of the seminal works of American Minimalism. It's also a joyous communal experience for musicians and listeners alike. Riley's 1964 composition is little more than a loose guideline for musicians. Driven by the repeated pulses of even octave eighth notes played on the top two C keys of the piano, each member of the ensemble runs through 53 simple phrases at a self-determined pace. Gradually, swarms of instruments find themselves playing in unison, always to be overtaken by the perfect pacing of the pulsing piano. The entire composition gradually moves from C to E to C to G and, when performed correctly, the effect is otherworldly.

From simplicity emerges complexity, and every performance will be unique. Breaking from tradition, this performance will turn the museum into a single intsrument: Boulder area musicians will be arrayed throughout the galleries, synchronized by audio/video link. Listeners can literally traverse the musical space as they roam the galleries.

Presented in association with Atomic Clock Music.

Thursday, December 9 at 8pm