Open G Records Live at national sawdust

This project is a 4K surround sound concert video of Open G Records' opening nights at National Sawdust. Performances include a brilliant new version of Pierre Boulez' masterwork dialogue de l'ombre double performed by Scott Andrews (principal clarinet, St. Louis Symphony) with live processing by Grammy Award-winning producer Adam Abeshouse. Other performances include the New York premieres of Steven Stucky's violin and piano sonatas, as well as music by Steve Reich, Mario Davidovsky, Ed Jacobs, and Jonathan Bailey Holland.

Amabile: The Brahms Clarinet Sonatas

Scott Andrews and Nina Ferrigno

This project is all about intimate relationships: the relationship between Brahms and the clarinetist who inspired these passionate and deeply loving works; the relationship between Scott and Nina, who have been married for almost twenty years; and the relationship between Open G founder Chris Grymes and Scott, who have been best friends since they met at the age of 12. All of these connections, filtered through the incredible musicianship of Scott and Nina, are certain to create a recording of profound beauty and lasting impact.

A Kickstarter campaign for this project will be launched soon, so please stay tuned!

Xiao-Dong Wang and Xak Bjerken

Xiao-Dong Wang (known to friends as X) was born in Shanghai during the cultural revolution. Taught violin and Western music in secret by his father, X emerged from communist China to win the Menuhin and Wieniawski competitions at the age of 13 and 15. X’s story is fascinating: invited to Juilliard, he had to leave his family behind for years as a teenage boy and come to New York, where he knew no one and spoke no English. This record will contain lush, beautiful music for violin and piano (including the sonatas by Faure and Strauss) that allow X to sing through his violin in ways he simply was not allowed to as a child.

Quartet for The End of Time

Xak Bjerken, Christopher Grymes, Zvi Plesser, Xiao-Dong Wang

This project will bring together core members of the Open G roster to perform this iconic piece by Olivier Messiaen coupled with new music written for the same ensemble. More info to come as conceptual conversations between the artists continue, so check back in with us soon.