Two Concerts by Microtonal Duo falcone | cubarsi at MicroFest 2018

falcone | cubarsi to perform two concerts at Microfest 2018. Photo courtesy of the artists.

Los Angeles’ 2018 MicroFest, an annual concert series celebrating microtonal music, runs from March 2-June 16, with 15 premieres this season. Violin duo falcone | cubarsi (Madeline Falcone (Music MFA 13) and Sara Cubarsi (Music DMA 18) kick off the festival on Friday (March 2), with their concert Microtonal Landscapes Part I at Boston Court in Pasadena.

The performance includes (in) tone by Catherine Lamb, as well as the world premieres of the following pieces: landscapes by falcone | cubarsi arranged from Bartók’s Mikrokosmos and Violin Duos; Elischa Kaminer’s Tenebrae / Aba lama at a sabachtani (sweet waters, a peach for J); Siheung Tablatures, by CalArts faculty Eyvind Kang; and Sei Bach-Intonazioni per Violino Solo, First Sonata in G minor by Marc Sabat.

On March 24, falcone | cubarsi play their second MicroFest performance, Microtonal Landscapes Part II, at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles. The program includes a new work by Cubarsi from the Exvot series; landscapes by falcone | cubarsi arranged from Bartók’s Mikrokosmos and Violin Duos; Bob Gilmore, Elisabeth Smalt by Sabat; and other works.

Based in Los Angeles, Falcone and Cubarsi met in 2016, and through their shared interest in microtonal music formed falcone | cubarsi. Microtonal Landscapes Part I and II marks the duo’s fourth live concert.

From MicroFest’s program:

The duo’s inaugural project was a recording of Marc Sabat’s just intonation Bach interpretations with the composer in Berlin. Since then, Falcone and Cubarsi have performed together on modern, baroque and electric instruments. In approaching both traditional and contemporary music the duo brings a sense of adventure, considering academic and historical study while allowing space for new, imaginative interpretations.

Falcone, a DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) candidate at CalArts, is a performer, producer and educator, active in both Los Angeles and New Orleans. In addition to falcone | cubarsi, Falcone plays regularly with the Isaura String Quarter and cellist Aniela Marie Perry. Catalan violinist, composer and researcher Cubarsi is completing her DMA with a focus on microtonal composition from The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts.