Recording in Session
◴ Thursday, August 15th • 7PM
⚲ 25th Street Recording, Oakland
Join us in the studio at 25th Street Recording for our first in a series of evenings where Musaics’ artists will be recording in front of a live audience!
Featuring cellist Coleman Itzkoff and pianists Audrey Vardanega and Christos Vayenas, we’ll be documenting the creative process from the perspectives of both classical interpretation and spontaneous improvisation. We hope to see you at what should prove to be a very special experience for all involved!
About 25th Street Recording
25th Street Recording is a world-class music recording facility, designed by award winning studio design firm Francis Manzella Design Ltd. All of the construction was contracted by Bay Area studio builder Dennis Stearns.
25th Street Recording features many specialized construction techniques that make it one of the quietest, best sounding studios in the world. The recording spaces and control room feature beautiful wood floors and acoustic treatments made from reclaimed Douglas fir.
Audrey Vardanega
Praised as a “[musically] eloquent” (San Francisco Classical Voice) player “with the kind of freedom, authority, and strength…that one expects from the world’s finest pianists” and a “bewitching musical presence,” American pianist and arts entrepreneur Audrey Vardanega has performed as a solo and collaborative pianist across Europe, China, and the United States.
In response to her passion for bringing artists together for opportunities for performance, the creation of new work, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Audrey founded Musaics of the Bay in 2019.
Christos Vayenas
Impresario, pianist and curator Christos Vayenas' musical language draws inspiration from the Romantic and Symbolist eras of the past, as well as the improvising traditions of the world. A strong advocate for creative programming and cross-disciplinary collaboration, Christos is committed to transforming the way in which we create, perform and experience the arts. In addition to his work as the Director of Curation at Musaics, he is the founder of the NYC-based arts organization The Autumn Salon.
Coleman Itzkoff
Hailed by Alex Ross in the New Yorker for his “flawless technique and keen musicality,” cellist and performer Coleman Itzkoff stands at the intersection of baroque/classical/new music, contemporary dance, and experimental theater. Whether premiering works by living composers, performing baroque music on historical instruments, acting and dancing and playing in pieces of avant-garde dance theater, composing, arranging, and recording music for films, or simply playing solo Bach for hospital patients in the time of COVID, Coleman continues to push the boundaries of what it means to be a musician of the 21st century, bringing his diverse range of interests and shape-shifting presence to every room and stage he occupies.
Coleman has performed in the great halls and festivals of America and abroad, and is a dedicated member of several ensembles, including the early music ensembles Ruckus and Twelfth Night, and is a founding member of AMOC, the American Modern Opera Company. Coleman holds degrees from Rice University, USC, and The Julliard School.