Cutting-edge music fest in Mendocino

The Mendocino Music Festival bills itself as “music on the edge of the world.”

That refers not only to its dramatic setting, in a big white tent perched on the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, but to its eclectic blend of cutting-edge artists from around the world.

This year’s season, running July 11 to July 25, includes everyone from a Czech avant-garde singer and a Russian electric violinist to a Spanish dancer and a tribute to music written in the Nazi prison camps.

In addition to these diverse acts, crowd favorites include the legendary bluegrass band The Seldom Scene on July 15; Puccini’s beloved opera, “La Boheme” on July 17, with well-known baritone Hector Vasquez; and renowned jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman and his trio on July 24.

Artistic Director Allan Pollack, who is trained in classical and jazz genres, puts together the program each year with Duke Ellington’s philosophy in mind.

“The Duke was writing classical music and playing jazz, and somebody asked if the music was jazz or classical,” Pollack said. “He said, ‘There’s good music and there’s bad music. I do good music.’”

So far this year, that philosophy has paid off, with ticket sales up $6,000 from last year despite the down economy, Pollack said.

“We’ve never gotten feedback like we’ve gotten on this particular program,” he added. “People must be interested in all this stuff.”

If edgy is your comfort zone, avant-garde singer Iva Bittova will give a don’t-miss performance on July 21 with her percussionist son, Antonin Faijt, in a double bill with acoustic guitarist Alex de Grassi.

Bittova sings, plays violin and composes — sometimes all three at once — in a crossover style that she describes as “my own personal folk music.”

“It’s the most unbelievable mix, between Eastern European folk music and more of a pop thing,” Pollack said. “I nearly drove off the freeway when I first heard her ... I just couldn’t believe what I heard. It just grabbed you right in your guts.”

Pollack has been trying to book the young Russian violinist Alexander Markov for a few years, but the classical violinist’s fees were too high. Then, when Pollack heard he was eager to perform on his electric violin, he called him up and cut a two-for-one deal.

“He’s going to do the Brahms concerto (on July 11), and then on Monday night (July 13), he’s got a string quintet to play with him. ... By the end, he’s going to have a rock bass and percussionist and he’s going to scream on his violin.”

Along with the Brahms concerto, the opening night orchestral concert will feature Alberto Ginastera’s “Estancia” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

The second orchestra concert on July 22 is an Italian-Spanish hybrid, with the first half devoted to Rossini’s Overture to “The Italian in Algiers” and Stravinsky’s entire “Pulcinella,” and the second half bopping over to Spain for two works by De Falla, accompanied by Spanish dancer Fanny Ara.

“She’s a young, sexy Spanish dancer,” Pollack said. “She’s the real thing.”

The final orchestra concert on July 25 is an all-Mozart program with chorus, featuring Mozart’s “Requiem” and Concerto for Two Pianos, featuring pianists Carolyn Steinbuck and Susan Waterfall.

In addition to the festival’s piano series, Waterfall organizes a multi-media chamber music concert every year that gives historical as well as musical context.

This year, she is presenting “They Left a Light” on July 16, showcasing masterpieces from the Nazi prison camps. The program includes Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time” and rarely heard cabaret and art music from the Terezin Concentration Camp.

Rounding out the festival are singer Maria Muldaur on July 12, a Big Band program featuring vocalist J’ai Michel on July 18, folk singer Ronnie Gilbert on July 22, jazz pianist Julian Pollack on July 25, plus various chamber music, piano and youth concerts.

The orchestra members are drawn from the Bay Area’s top performing groups, including the San Francisco Symphony, ballet and opera orchestras.

The orchestra players are put up in homes in the community. During the festival, the sounds of music float through the town of Mendocino all day long, during rehearsals, concerts and special events.

You can reach Staff Writer Diane Peterson at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com.