Noa Even opens for Duo Tesserae with a short set of music for solo tenor saxophone. She performs her own piece, Herzl, which captures her ever-evolving relationship, a grappling of sorts, with her identity as an Israeli-American. Betsy Jolas, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, composed in 1983 as the fourth piece in a series of nine that showcases solo instruments. It was one of the first solo works to explore the capabilities of the tenor saxophone, an instrument primarily associated with jazz and pop music. Even now, over forty years later, the piece remains compelling in its modernist lyricism and idiomatic virtuosity.

Germany-based Duo Tesserae present a program exploring contemporary voices connected through Germany’s vibrant new music scene. Featuring works by Rebecca Saunders, Thuon Burtevitz, and Eric Wubbels, the concert traces distinct approaches to sound, gesture, and musical form.