S.E.M. Ensemble & AACM composers

On Apr 28, Petr Kotik's ensemble presents a program that's heavy on the recent music of composer-performers Roscoe Mitchell and George Lewis—both of whom are associated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. Since this is the AACM's 50th anniversary, Mitchell and Lewis will be on hand (with their axes), the better to make this feel like a true event. (Works by Kotik, Cage, Christian Wolff and Henry Threadgill are also on the night's program.) On Apr 29, the S.E.M. Orchestra plays additional works by Mitchell and Lewis, in addition to a piece by a man who cofounded the AACM, Muhal Richard Abrams. (And in case that's not enough: After intermission, those three composers will play an improvised set too!) Both nights are an incredible deal, given the pay-what-you-can "suggestion donation" price point.