In the land of kinetic sculptures, accordion festivals and rubber duckie races, the competition for quirky niftiness is tight around these parts. Still, “we want to create something unique that you can’t find anywhere else in Sonoma County,” says Gary McLaughlin of this weekend’s concert by the Friction Quartet.
McLaughlin is the founder of Brave New Music, whose aim is to present serious chamber music in a casual setting. For the Friction Quartet performance, that setting is SHED in Healdsburg, upstairs in the Grange Room. “It’s very informal—the musicians may be playing in jeans—but with a high level of playing,” says McLaughlin, adding that craft beer, wine, kombucha and food will be served.
In keeping with Friction Quartet’s tendency to premiere new works, the program includes pieces by Noah Luna and Eric Deluca, the latter of which is an artist-in-residence with the national park system and whose composition accompanies a screened film. Beethoven and Debussy, round out the offerings, but in every other way, “we’re trying to re-create chamber music,” says McLaughlin. The Friction Quartet performs Sunday,
Nov. 3, at SHED. 25 North St., Healdsburg. 8pm. $25. 707.431.7433.
