My own point of view on experimental music is only one of many. Over the past couple years, the idea of interviewing numerous other people in the field to get their viewpoints took shape. I’ll begin posting these interviews in the coming week. Many more are in the works. It’s fascinating to see how very different the forms of these conversations are, even though they all start out with the same questions.
November 2016 Events
This list is nowhere near complete, but we’re already into the month of November and I wanted to include some things that I’ve heard about. Please let me know of others by emailing jennie (at) soundexpanse.com.
November 4
Somerville, MA
Music @ Washington Street Arts
SHIFT ⌘ 4
Andrew Young / Erika Bell / Luke Martin
November 5
Brooklyn, NY
Music for Contemplation: Kamphuis, Stepancic, Sfirri
November 5-December 12
Turin, Italy
Michael Graeve: Forms Unseen
November 13
New York City
Evan Johnson Composer Portrait at Spectrum
November 17-20
Bludenz, Austria
Bludenzer Tage zeitgemaßer Musik
November 18-27
Huddersfield, UK
Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival
November 24-27
Berlin: Splitter Music Festival
The four evenings with over 80 artists revolve around music-making in large formats, based on the power of improvisation. The festival is organised and programmed by Gregor Hotz, manager of the Splitter Orchester. The festival is partly a showcase for the Splitter Orchester and it’s composer-performers, but also features other formations from the Berlin Echtzeitmusik scene and beyond.
November 26-27
London: Filthy Lucre: Sounding Body
In the eighteenth century, the body was thought to be comprised of resonant strings. Music vibrated them, shaking emotions and temperaments in time to its reverberations. Filthy Lucre explores the strange noises and mathematical constructions built on these Sounding Bodies.
On Saturday 26th, we will move from installation to concert to gig, with a live music night being preceded by Jacob Kirkegaard’s sound art. On Sunday 27th, we will present Kirkegaard’s work alongside free workshops.
They have also released a compelling preview video of George Barton performing Vinko Globokar’s ?Corporel.
November 30-December 4
Oaxaca: UMBRAL Festival
Vocal Meditations Workshop
Craig Shepard is running a vocal immersion workshop this coming Saturday, October 8th, at the Church of the Annunciation in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He writes that it is:
an intensive workshop including vocal meditations, listening exercises, and group composition. Beginning at 9:00 am, the workshop will culminate in a performance on Music for Contemplation at 8:05 pm. Members can bring a bag lunch and there will be a break for dinner. $30 suggested donation for participation in workshop. $15 suggested donation for attendance at performance.
The workshop is open to anyone willing to make a commitment for the day; no prior musical training is necessary. To apply, please send an email to craig [at] craigshepard [dot] net and tell us who you are and why you want to participate.
I asked him a few questions about the event.
What inspired you to initiate this project? Or what’s the impetus for it?
Last year, we presented works by Pauline Oliveros. I had taken her Deep Listening Course in 1997, and remembered her saying that the voice is one thing we all have in common. One of the communities MufoCo serves are the long-standing residents in North Brooklyn; it seemed a good way to invite people in.
I can imagine that the intensive nature of this workshop – and being involved for the whole day – presents a set of possible engagements that is very different from the usual rehearsal/concert situation. What are some of the opportunities that you look forward to along these lines?
For me, the best opportunity is to spend the day offline! Also, when we open up the music to those outside the connoisseur, it reveals parts of the music which we insiders take for granted. A lot of people get nervous at the thought of spending a day without their cell-phone; I can understand, many of us need to be in touch with loved ones and freelancers need to respond to calls for gigs as soon as possible. Those who can leave their phones at home may find that they are more present in their day–like they have more life in their day. I went back to a dumb phone a couple of weeks ago and I have so much more time!
