Flutist Emi Ferguson & Clarinetist Joshua Rubin Present Two West Coast Premieres & More at Sierra Madre Playhouse, 10/24

Presented by Sierra Madre Playhouse

Celebrated flutist Emi Ferguson and critically acclaimed clarinetist Joshua Rubin explore the unexpected with a program of Baroque and contemporary music, entitled “Double Yolk,” which showcases their individual artistry and collaborative synergy on a selection of captivating works for solo instrument and duo, on Friday, October 24, 2025, 8:00 pm, at Sierra Madre Playhouse. 

Ferguson explains the program’s title, “It can be so delightful to crack open an egg and find two yolks staring back at you! ‘Double Yolk’ celebrates the unexpected, featuring rich exploration of works written and arranged for the flute and clarinet that highlight nature and conversation. The program brings together modern experimentation and baroque conversation.”

Highlights include the West Coast premieres of Dia Fujikura’s Twin Tweets, a clarinet duo inspired by two birds gliding together in the sky, and Michael Hersch’s unwrung, apart, always, composed for solo flute and built around text fragments by German poet Anja Utler.

Also featured are an excerpt from John Cage’s Litany for the Whale, a call and response vocal piece composed in 1980 that has been arranged for flute and clarinet, and Chinese-born American composer Lei Liang’s Lake, which, she notes, “reflects the silent surface of water on which performers could inscribe their signatures in sounds.” 

Providing contrasting aural texture are works by three Baroque era composers, Georg Philipp Telemann’s Canonic Sonata No. 1; H.I.F. Biber’s Passacaglia arranged for flute and clarinet, which comes from a collection of sonatas originally composed in 1676 for violin and continuo; and Chi si può fare by Venetian composer and vocalist Barbara Strozi, one of the first female composers of secular music to have her music published under her own name.

 Ferguson, “a glorious flutist” (Los Angeles Times) who was awarded the 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, brings an innovative approach to classical and modern music. Rubin, a founding member of the International Contemporary Ensemble, is "incapable of playing an inexpressive note" (The New York Times), infusing every note with depth and emotion.

For tickets ($12-$35) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Date:
Venue:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Organization:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Genres:
New Music
Categories:
Live Event
City: Sierra Madre
Price Range:
$12-$35
Email:
info@sierramadreplayhouse.org
Phone:
(626) 355-4318
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Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse

87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
United States

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Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. 

 

Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), it has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. 

 

The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. In 2023, Rep. Judy Chu named the Sierra Madre Playhouse as a leading ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ in the San Gabriel Valley. The playhouse was given the honor during the 2023 Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards, which recognizes the leadership and volunteerism in the cities making up California’s 28th Congressional District. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. 

 

Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.