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Last year, a festival for flutes. This year, clarinets, in the ������Ƶ Clarinet Festival, presented by the Department of Music, Jan. 20 to 22.

The next day, Jan. 23, brings a concert by the Empyrean Ensemble, the music department’s ensemble in residence.

Clarinet Festival

The festival includes three concerts, one of them free, all in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

• Thursday, Jan. 20 — Free Noon Concert by José González Granero, principal clarinetist with the San Francisco Opera. His program includes Poulenc's Clarinet Sonata, Lovreglio's Fantasia La Traviata and one of the Béla Kovács’ solo clarinet etudes, Hommage à Manuel de Falla.

• Friday, Jan. 21 — With faculty affiliate Ann Lavin, festival director, and guests: 12 clarinetists present a program that begins with Alban Berg’s elegant and haunting Four Pieces for clarinet and piano, and finishes with the pulsating and popular New York Counterpoint by Steve Reich. Also: works by Carter, Lutoslawski, and ������Ƶ composers Jerome Rosen and Laurie San Martin. 8 p.m.

• Saturday, Jan. 22 — Charles Neidich, clarinet, and John Cozza, piano. Program: Weinberg’s Clarinet Sonata, op. 28; Neidich’s In Memoriam and Threnos; Brahms’ Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, op. 120, No. 1; Prokofiev’s Sonata in D Major; and Saint-Saëns’ Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso. 2 p.m.

The festival also includes master classes with González and Neidich, and three workshops.

Tickets for the Jan. 21 and 22 concerts are available , or by visiting or calling the Mondavi Center box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787.

Empyrean Ensemble

The ensemble presents “engaging, thought-provoking, eclectic programs, enabling audiences to experience new musical sensations delivered with high artistry by its seven extraordinary core players — the finest new music performers in California,” according to the group’s .

The ensemble has premiered approximately 200 works and performed throughout California, including appearances at many prominent music festivals and concert series.

The Sunday, Jan. 23, concert is set to begin at 7 p.m. in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre. The theme is Americans in Rome, and here is the program:

• Don Byron — Selections from 7 Etudes for Solo Piano (2008–09)

• Claude Baker — Three Phantasy Pieces for Viola and Percussion (2005)

• Martin Bresnick — Bird as Prophet for Violin and Piano (1999)

• Martin Brody — Dusk from The Book of Hours for Piano Trio (2000)

• Keeril Makan — Mu for Solo Violin (2007)

• Laura Schwendinger — Song for Andrew for Piano Quartet (2008)

Tickets are available , or by visiting or calling the Mondavi Center box office, (530) 754-2787 or (866) 754-2787.