'Song Reader' Comes To Life In Somerville

When the beloved alternative musician Beck Hansen announced last fall that he was releasing a new work, his fans were psyched. Little did they know that his forthcoming project was not a recorded album, but sheet music.  Just sheet music. Beck's "Song Reader" is a collection of 20 individual lead sheets,  compiled in a navy, hardcover portfolio, complete with hand-drawn illustrations. That meant that if you wanted to hear Beck's new compositions, you were going to have to play them.

And now, a group of over 150 musicians and dancers are doing just that on Thursday, February 28 at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. The production is the brain-child of dancer Karin Webb and musician Brendan Burns, who have been planning the project since before "Song Reader" was actually released. There are over 30 bands and dance groups involved, from the Boston Tap Company, to the Brookline Music School All-Stars, to Krissy Skare's 50-person choir.

Amory Sivertson, producer for Radio Boston.