Stringing together popular music, rock ‘n’ roll and jazz, Aperio-Music of the Americas will feature the works of younger composers in its performance, Indie-A-Go-Go, presented by the A&M Department of Performance Studies.
While planning a different concert in Houston eight years ago, founder and artistic director Michael Zuraw said he realized the music he was looking for was slipping away.
“It occurred to me that the music I was looking for had a future that was in jeopardy,” Zuraw said. “I realized if there were somehow I could get my hands on the music and perform it, it would take the music out of the realm of endangered music. We started the program to bring that music to light.”
Zuraw said his mission is to promote the works of up-and-coming composers.
“This particular program we will be presenting is by a group of younger composers who have all been inspired by American popular culture, in particular influences from the 20th century such as rock and roll or just popular music,” Zuraw said.
Radiohead and Van Halen are a few notable inspirations for the pieces that will be performed, Zuraw said.
“If anyone in the audience is familiar with Eddie Van Halen they will probably know the major guitar solo that he does,” Zuraw said. “It’s the very first thing that is quoted in the piece and then becomes the inspiration for everything that happens thereafter.”
Full-time composer D.J. Sparr wrote “The Glam Seduction,” which he said draws its influence from the guitar solos of the ’80s.
“Growing up as a guitar player in the ’80s, popular music had these crazy, searing, really noted guitar solos,” Sparr said. “Then I studied classical music and thought it would be cool to combine that into one piece.”
Brendan Kinsella, pianist, will perform a couple of pieces by Radiohead at the concert. For Kinsella, classical music is hereditary, which is what he said inspired his career.
“One grandfather was a pianist and another was a conductor,” Kinsella said. “When I was out thinking about what I wanted to do with my life I was thinking between music and computers, but I thought music would be more fulfilling.”
Indie-A-Go-Go will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Rudder Theatre. Tickets can be purchased online or at the MSC Box Office in Rudder Tower.