Wicked GOAT, a concert series featuring contemporary music for young people, returns for its second season this fall. Curated by PCM faculty members Dr. Nic Gerpe and Katelyn Vahala, the series aims to produce exceptional, immersive, and engaging concerts featuring PCM faculty and guest artists from the Los Angeles area performing repertoire which reflects the world and life experiences of the listener.

Wicked GOAT aims to introduce classical music to families and students, many of whom are new to concert experiences. Through lively themed programs featuring contemporary compositions, the series hopes to make classical music accessible. Last season’s concerts incorporated visual and electronic elements, engaging the audience in dialogues about the pieces. Composers also attended, sharing insights about their music.

“By engaging the audience with educational dialog, featuring living composers, and creating multimedia experiences, we hope to build an audience for whom music is a living art, and integral to their daily lives,” Gerpe said. “The model for the series is a hybrid of the Leonard Bernstein Young People’s Concerts, LA Phil’s Green Umbrella, and a rock concert.”

The first program, titled “Shred,” is all about dazzling, daredevil displays of virtuosity and speed. Inspired by the incredible wizardry of virtuoso playing in many different styles and genres, and the resulting energy that that kind of music instills, the fire-powered program will feature various instrumental combos including piano duo, solo flute, flute/sax/piano trio, piano/cello duo, and electric guitar, culminating in Andrew Norman’s Gran Turismo, a racing-inspired work for eight violins.

The second installment, “Stories,” delves into the narrative power of music. Across time, composers have drawn inspiration from diverse sources – be it classic literature, folk legends, or poetry. This concert embarks on a journey through this concept, highlighting Paul Moravec’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Tempest Fantasy. This composition weaves elements from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest into a musical tapestry, showcasing the captivating fusion of words and melodies.

All Wicked GOAT concerts are free and open to the public and take place in Barrett Hall at PCM.