Artists are listed in alphabetical order
Aco Tomine
Japan - Aco Tomine in Concert
Date and Time: Saturday May 25, 5:00pm
Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $20
Reserved Table Seating: $25, $30
At the door: $23 - $33
Aco Tomine, born in Japan, is a singer songwriter and accordionist. Aco sings old Japanese folk songs (Min-yoh) in her own unique style with her accordion and her original folk songs, hoping that they will be sung for hundreds of years to come.
Ancient Future
USA - Ancient Future World Without Walls Reunion
Date and Time: Sunday May 26, 5:00pm
Duration: 100 minutes with intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
Reserved Table Seating: $30, $35
At the door: $28 - $38
This lineup featuring Matthew Montfort (scalloped fretboard guitar), Jim Hurley (violin), Doug McKeehan (keyboards), and Ian Dogole (percussion) reunited in 2011. In honor of the reunion, 22 years after its 1990 release, World Without Walls was reissued by Capitol Records and voted in the top 5 world music releases of 2012.
Chirgilchin with Yuliyana Krivoshapkina
Republic of Tuva - In Concert
Date and Time: Friday May 24, 7:00pm
Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
Reserved Table Seating: $30, $35
At the door: $28 - $38
Khomus master Yuliyana Krivoshapkina will present the traditional music of the Sakha Republic, drawing on the wisdom and traditions of the Yakut people to portray the timeless relationship between Man and the Universe. Following, world-renowned throat singing ensemble Chirgilchin performs folk music from the Republic of Tuva.
Conspiracy of Venus
USA - The Sixth Extinction? Songs of Lament and Celebration
Date and Time: Sunday June 2, 2:00pm
Duration: 90 minutes, with intermission
Location: Chapel
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
Conspiracy of Venus women's vocal ensemble sings songs by Joni Mitchell, the Pixies and many others, and original compositions by Joyce Todd McBride.
Florante Aguilar
USA - UTOM (World Premiere
Date and Time: Saturday June 1, 2:00pm
Duration: 50 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
UTOM is inspired by the T’boli’s practice of expressing the mysteries of our world in music, Master musician Florante Aguilar creates compelling narrative of human emotion in his music using both western and indigenous instruments.
Jessica Lá Rel
USA - We Are (A Live Recording)
Date and Time: Thursday May 23, 8:30pm
Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
Join Jessica Lá Rel and a full band for a live recording & concert of new music from her latest album, War Love. Weaving together music and storytelling, Jessica will be sharing music and stories about life, love and justice.
Gamelan Sekar Jaya
USA & Bali - Serasi! Gamelan Sekar Jaya Celebrates 40 Years of Balinese Music & Dance
Date and Time: Friday, May 31st, 8:15pm & Saturday, June 1st, 2pm
Duration: 100 minutes with intermission
Location: Cowell Theater
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
Gamelan Sekar Jaya returns to SFAIF with a thrilling mix of traditional and contemporary Balinese music and dance! The internationally acclaimed performing arts troupe celebrates its 40th Anniversary under the direction of legendary gamelan composer, I Nyoman Windha, and dance master, I Nyoman Cerita. These two luminaries of the Balinese performing arts lead the 50-member Bay Area company through a dynamic range of Balinese music and dance that resonates in the heart and captures the imagination with its intricacy and depth.
Lili Weckler / Unhinge
USA - SiSTARS Strange and the Shatterer of Worlds (World Premiere)
Date and Time: Saturday May 25, 6:30pm; Sunday May 26, 5:00pm
Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
Location: Chapel
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
The punk Lovechild of the Earth and Death must reunite their estranged parents in order to take a stand against the Shatterer of Worlds. In a gender-bending, mischievous rock-opera, a group of contemporary dancers and musicians will investigate themes around good death, veils, bonds between the human and the universal, and the end of time.
Melody Takata
USA - Mu No Kukan, Space for Nothingness (2019, US Premiere)
Date and Time: Thursday May 23, 8:30pm; Friday May 24, 9:30pm; Saturday May 25, 2:00pm
Duration: 45 minutes, no intermission
Location: Southside Theater
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $20
At the door: $23
The US Premiere of “Mu No Kukan, Space for Nothingness" pays homage to Yukio Mishima’s “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.” The work explores the human psyche and the correlation between desire and destruction through film footage, live music, and text.
Melody of China with Sound of Dragon
USA & Canada - Dragon Song
Date and Time: Sunday June 2, 6:00pm
Duration: 75 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $20
Reserved Table Seating: $25, $30
At the door: $23 - $33
Melody of China joins forces with Sound of Dragon Ensemble from Vancouver. The program will feature new arrangements of traditional Chinese repertoire mixed ensemble including Chinese chamber ensemble and flute, guitar, cello, harp and percussion. The program will include exciting new works by composers from the U.S. and Canada.
Pablo Estigarribia
Argentina - Pablo Estigarribia in Concert
Date and Time: Saturday June 1, 9:00pm
Duration: 50 minutes, no intermission
Location: Gallery 308
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
Reserved Table Seating: $30, $35
At the door: $28 - $38
Maestro Pablo Estigarribia is back in SFIAF to bring his unique approach on Tango music. This time the program will be focused on his latest compositions, a work that although is based in Tango structure and expression, is openly influenced by jazz and music. An alluring night of passion and elegance.
StringQuake
USA - Wind Weavers & StringQuake in Concert
Date and Time: Thusday May 23, 8:00pm
Duration: 120 minutes with intermission, Shared bill with Wind Weavers
Location: Chapel
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
Performing dynamic arrangements of world music from Latin America, Greece, and American jazz to original repertoire with influences from Balkan to classical chamber music and Indian classical, StringQuakes' unique instrumentation and compositional style will challenge and excite the listener. Unusual meters, intricate melodies and improvisation make this ensembles live performance unforgettable.
Tomoko Momiyama
Japan - New Work TBA (World Premiere)
Date and Time: Thursday May 23, 7:00pm; Saturday May 25, 3:30pm; Sunday May 26, 3:30pm
Duration: 60 minutes, no intermission
Location: Firehouse
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
An original site-specific work by Tomoko Momiyama, a composer and interdisciplinary artist from Japan. Inspired by conversations with Japanese-American and Native-American communities as well as specialists in different disciplines including seed science, migratory birds, and geology, the work explores the issues of home and diaspora identities in the Bay Area and beyond.
Toolbox Percussion
Hong Kong - Grant Avenue (World Premiere)
Date and Time: Saturday June 1, 8:00pm
Duration: 55 minutes, no intermission
Location: Cowell Theater
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $30
At the door: $33
Grant Avenue - West Coast Percussion Tour is a newly curated percussion programme by Hong Kong leading Percussive Collective - Toolbox Percussion for the San Francisco International Arts Festival 2019. It focuses on music composed by composers have west coast influences and it also provides the opportunity to collaborate with Jack van Geem, former principal percussionist of San Francisco Symphony
Wind Weavers
USA - Wind Weavers & StringQuake in Concert
Date and Time: Thusday, May 23, 8:00pm
Duration: 120 minutes with intermission, Shared bill with StringQuake
Location: Chapel
Ticket Information:
General Admission: $25
At the door: $28
StringQuake and Wind Weavers come together in an evening of innovative instrumental music, led by two Bay Area native composers Amelia Romano (electric harp) and Diana Strong (accordion). Expect superb musicianship, rhythmic depth and playful improvisatio
