James Ilgenfritz juxtaposes his work as a composer and as an improviser, splitting the evening between a large-scale improvisational work for a quartet featuring Josh Sinton (amplified contrabass clarinet), Jeremiah Cymerman (amplified clarinet), and Brian Chase (drums, percussion) and the premiere of two new chamber works: a tragically cloud-like duet for violin and vibraphone and an enigmatic work featuring New York's renowned electric guitar quartet Dither.
Brooklyn composer, bassist, and educator James Ilgenfritz has been active in creative music since the late 90s. His work has been praised in Time Out New York, All About Jazz, and Downbeat Magazine. Recent performances include work with Lukas Ligeti, Pauline Oliveros, John Zorn, and Anthony Braxton. James has received grants and residencies from Issue Project Room, the American Composers Forum, and OMI Arts Center. Notable performance venues include Roulette, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, The World Financial Center Winter Garden, Symphony Space, and the New Museum in SoHo. James hosts the Ten Thousand Hours Podcast, featuring conversations and duets with such musical innovators as Robert Dick and Pauline Oliveros. In 2011 James is Artist-In-Residence at Issue Project Room in Brooklyn. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the University of California San Diego. James is on Faculty at the Preparatory Center of Brooklyn College and at Brooklyn Conservatory.
