Sharp and Sirius bring music to the edge

Pitt’s music department will bring experimental music to the edge this weekend with some of New… Pitt’s music department will bring experimental music to the edge this weekend with some of New York’s best avant-garde musical artists to the Andy Warhol Museum Saturday night. The music department’s Music on the Edge program will present its first concert of the year with experimental musicians Elliott Sharp and the Sirius String Quartet. Dedicated to bringing students contemporary music performed by professional musicians, Music on the Edge hosts about six concerts each year.’ ‘The focus of this series is to display contemporary classical music that is both written and improvised,’ said Mathew Rosenblum, co-director of the Music on the Edge program. Both Elliott Sharp and the Sirius String Quartet are accomplished musicians who compose and perform within the realm of avant-garde musical constructs. A staple in the New York City avant-garde scene for more than thirty years, Sharp personifies the genre. He pioneered the application of transforming fractal geometry, chaos theory and genetic metaphor into compositions. ‘Sharp is known for high volume, complex ‘noise’ based music,’ said Rosenblum. The concert will also feature the U.S. debut of two new works, ‘Momentum Anomaly’ for solo guitar and ‘Volpak’ for guitar and string quartet, both composed by Sharp. Blending the structure of classical and energy rock ‘n’ roll, the Sirius String Quartet is a two-headed monster: half string quartet and half rock band. Its influences include classical, rock, jazz and other popular styles. Varying its repertoire as much as its genre, the quartet plays both acoustically and with electronic effects. This group of highly skilled musical improvisers truly pushes the limits of string instruments. As an added bonus for Pitt music program graduate students, both Elliott Sharp and the Sirius String Quartet will be performing and critiquing select student compositions in a private session prior to the concert. ‘Elliott Sharp and the Sirius String Quartet offer an interesting perspective on contemporary classical music through their incorporation of improvisation,’ said Rosenblum. ‘They represent a different type of music we won’t hear in Pittsburgh that much.’ Tickets can be purchased in advance through ProArts tickets, $10 for general admission or $5 for students and seniors. Tickets are $15 at the Warhol’ or $8 for students or seniors. Admittance is free with a Pitt ID.