UC Davis’ new venue and new sounds

Music lovers rejoice, there’s a new performance venue at UC Davis: the Ann E. Pitzer Center, a $16.8 million project. The 17,500-square-foot building holds both instructional facilities and a 399-seat recital hall.

Carol Hess, chair of the university’s music department, said faculty and staff looked forward to everything the new venue has to offer.

“[It has] a state-of-the-art recording studio and a splendid, professional venue for performances, along with many other amenities,” she said.

The venue kicks off with a series of events this weekend. First up is a free event this Friday, September 23, at 3 p.m. in the Pitzer Center Courtyard. The UC Davis Jazz Ensembles will play standards by Dizzy Gillespie, as well as new compositions.

Later that evening at 7 p.m. in the recital hall, pianists Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe with perform. The concert will include selections from artists as varied as Mozart and Daft Punk, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Pharrell Williams. The event is $20 for adults, $18 for faculty and staff and $10 for students and children.

Then at 7 p.m. Saturday, September 24, members of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra will perform chamber works by Puccini, Schubert, Vivaldi and Dutilleux. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for faculty and staff and $10 for students and children.

Finally, on Sunday, September 25, check out Koyaanisqatsi, a wordless 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio and scored by Philip Glass. It explores the collision of urban life and technology with the natural world. The 2 p.m. event is free but tickets are required.