Music Reviews : Six New Works Played at Dominguez Hills

An admirable amount of expertise and polish marked the performance of six new works presented Saturday night at the University Theater, Cal State Dominguez Hills. Members of the Almont Ensemble and others gave insightful readings of compositions that succeeded as provocative examples of various conservative idioms.

A precise and carefully executed atonal style made North Carolina composer J. Mark Scearce’s “Five Poems in a Letter” for chamber quintet a wonder of complex harmonies and melodic lines. Oboist Michael Ericson projected the prominent solo part with bravura.

Charles Dvorak’s “The Bones of the Greeks” supplied soprano Susan Judy and guitarist Stuart Fox an opportunity to display a fitting neo-Renaissance sensibility.

The world premiere of Marshall Bialosky’s “Two Against One,” for clarinet, viola and piano, proved ambitious and satisfyingly complex, exemplifying the composer’s ability to work with an abstract idea. Nick Ariondo’s “Matsuri (Festival)” for accordion and piano synchronized sweeping tonal melodies between the two keyboards, creating quirky if not comedic moments.

A neo-classic Piano Suite by Barbara Bennett gave pianist Charlotte Zelka an opportunity to demonstrate her steady, comprehensive approach. Carlos Rodriguez’s relatively familiar Five Movements for Solo Amplified/Processed Flute demonstrated an equally satisfying mix of technology and flute techniques.