Seeds in Darkness: Music by Benjamin Shirley

CRITIC’S PICK: Fans of contemporary chamber ensemble music will not want to miss “Seeds in Darkness,” a special program of music composed by cellist Benjamin Shirley. The musicians assempled are an all-star assemblage of Atlanta’s cutting edge performers and improvisers including Majid Araim (mandolin), Julian Scott Bryan (percussion), Chris Childs (piano), David Gray (guitar), John Gregg (drums), Chip Epsten (violin), Ofir Klemperer (piano), Gabriel Monticello (double bass), Monique Osorio (vocals) and Paul Stevens (vibraphone). The program took root during the COVID pandemic, inspired by “Seed Tension,” which was written for an ensemble that combines members of the composer’s many projects including Artifactual String Unit, Mute Sphere and BASrelief. Atlanta Improvisers Orchestra co-founder and conductor Klemperer will play a solo piano piece called “To the Ground” while Mute Sphere will perform a suite of songs titled “/Darkness” based on poems by Linda Pastan. Shirley notes, “All of this music was composed since I became a parent, which, for me was closely linked to experiencing the pandemic.”  — Doug DeLoach
$15 suggested donation. Doors 8 p.m., music 8:30 p.m. First Existentialist Congregation, 470 Candler Park Dr. NE, Atlanta, GA.