The University of Northern Colorado Open Space Festival of New Music features guest artists in concerts with UNC faculty, students, and the UNC Symphony, lectures, and roundtable discussions. Open Space is an annual event that brings significant composers and performers of contemporary music to our campus. Now in its tenth year, the Festival enables faculty, students, and the community to be exposed to ideas and currents in new music; students in particular are able to work with and speak directly with some of its foremost practitioners. Concerts, master classes, roundtables, and workshops, all open to the public, are a hallmark of this weeklong festival. Since 2009, featured composers have been Gabriela Ortiz, Kyle Gann, Christian Wolff, Augusta Read Thomas, Sean Friar, experimental legend Alvin Lucier, French electronic pioneer Jean-Claude Risset, sound artist and sonic healer Paul Rudy, and the Jake Schepps Quintet, a bluegrass ensemble that performs new art music. Interpreters featured on the Festival include the Callithumpian Consort, pianists Stephen Drury, Mari Kawamura, and Mireia Frutos, guitarist Nathan Fischer, bassist Matt Smiley, the UNC Symphony, and students and faculty of UNC.
Sharon joins the festival to sing a new multimedia work by Paul Elwood on the life of Louise Brooks.