Class Details

Open to all PACO students

In this class we will examine the birth of Modernism in classical music at the turn of the twentieth century, and go on to look at a historical survey of musical trends since that time.  The focus will be primarily on string instrument repertoire, and composers explored will include Bartók, Berg, Debussy, Ravel, Schoenberg, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky, among others.  We will look at more recent trends in composition including a return to tonality, minimalism, and improvisational music.  Guest artists will make presentations on composing for string instruments and using extended techniques.

Saturday @ 4

Class Meetings:

3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15

Class ZOOM Link

Instructor Email:

[email protected]

Instructor Bio:

One of the Bay Area’s most sought-after double bass players Michel Taddei is Principal Bassist of the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, the Berkeley Symphony, the Fremont Symphony, the Pacific Chamber Symphony, Symphony Napa Valley, and the Mendocino Music Festival, and is Assistant Principal Bass of the California Symphony. He has performed with the SF Symphony and New Century Chamber Orchestra as well. A passionate chamber musician, Michel is a founding member of the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, and has performed with the Bella Trio, Empyrean Ensemble, Earplay, Quartet San Francisco, Musica Marin, Ensemble SF, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, the Saint Lawrence and Telegraph string quartets and with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble on tours in the US and in Central Asia. Director of Artistic Administration at the Crowden Music Center in Berkeley, Michel has consulted for the California Symphony’s El Sistema-inspired program Sound Minds, and served as Education Consultant for Music at Kohl Mansion. An active teacher, Michel has been a longtime faculty member at PACO, the Crowden School, the Golden Gate Philharmonic the Oakland Youth Orchestra and Young People’s Symphony Orchestra, and has coached at UC Berkeley and UC Davis.