8 December 2008
Creative Sessions . . .
3 December 2008
25 November 2008
Creative Session
This week, we rehearsed the pieces we are working on, setting the material and beginning to define the structure of the pieces. Memory, Throw, Bursts, Dirge, Outerspace, Klang, Swarm, Crescendo and Tutti are the pieces we are playing in our 10 min performance and 4 min live BBC broadcast.
We are playing 4 themes in C, Bb and Eb throughout the piece that thread each movement together with the different instruments playing.
We are also looking at different ways of using percussion instruments, hitting the gong with and in a bowl of water to effect the sound vibrations when playing ti. Playing the casio keyboard with different sound levels within the piece, and playing the piano, on the keys, as well as on the strings below the keyboard, and using the foot pedals at different times for different effects in the sound.
Will and Katie are experimenting with the visuals, playing with different ways of exploring moving images and the live dance movements with the live camera and projection on the wall. Using beams of light and colour gels as part of creating live and moving images that change and transform as the dance moves in and out of the camera screen.
Next week we are working with Mira Calix and the London Sinfonietta players whom are joining us in our composition piece for the 13th dec.
Text / Video / Website
See you on 13th dec!
More creative blog pages to come :)
23 November 2008
Programme for 13th dec
LS Culture Collective and Street Genius (world premiere) 9pm
Mira Calix - after 12pm
Blue room 9.30pm
Dai Fujikura Eternal Escape for solo cello
Vinko Globokar Res/As/Ex/Inspirer for trombone
The foyer Live on Radio BBC 3 10pm
LS Culture Collective and Street Genius
Mira Calix new work for solo cello and electronics (world premiere)
John Woolrich fragment for solo saxophone
Dai Fujikura Eternal Escape foe solo cello
Anna Meredith new work for trombone and electronics
Jordan Hunt Lambic Stutter for flute, saxophone, trombone, cello and keyboard (world premiere of new version)
Will Gregory Interference for solo saxophone and electronics
John Cage Radio music for 1 - 8 performers, each at 1 radio performed by LS, Culture Collective and Street Genius
The performances are happening at set times at the event, however the audience are free to move between the three rooms throughout the evening. There is limited access in certain rooms and we strongly recommend arriving early for the best experience of the event,
We look forward to seeing you there!
22 November 2008
Creative Session
We had a great third rehearsal with the Culture Collective and Street Genius. This week we were rehearsing in St Andrew's Church and we were joined by photographer Tracy Fahy, a fine artist, reportage photographer and photographic facilitator, who is mentoring Amah in photography for the event. Check out Tracey's work on her website at www.traceyfahy.com
We played with percussion instruments, a gong that Antoine has from China, and a mini keyboard from Rachel. Timo plays his guitar with a bow for some pieces, and we also played with using the bow with the gong.
Some of the improvisations extended into longer pieces and some improvisations were really short, each varying in dynamics and feeling to the piece.
Will experimented with live visual effects with the camera and projector that worked well with moving dance and light in front of the screen.
We also made a 1 min promotional video this week for the 40th Birthday coming soon.
Keep watching . . .
20 November 2008
Creative Session with Mira Calix
We are really happy to be collaborating and working with Mira in our work with the London Sinfonietta and look forward to our future creative meetings with her soon. You can hear her music on her myspace page www.myspace.com/you_could_feel_the_sky
As a starting point for the creative session Antoine prepared a score for us to explore as a means to structure our improvisations. The score had a layout of 20 bars in which each player has a different instruction to follow of the same symbols. + is to play, - is to be silent, and = is to continue your previous instruction.
We looked at the dynamics and shape of the structure and decided to emphsise dynamic qualities with +, and continuous sustained qualities with = to see if the sounds and movements were affected withing the structure.
We also experimented having some one leading the improvisation as we had been exploring last week. This worked well with the dance leading as it gave a focal point for everyone to play from, we felt that this was a good way to bring the group and different art forms together when we are improvising.
In this session we also brought with us a 15 sec clip of a piece of music that inspires us and we enjoy. We played our clips and then said a few things about why we had chosen these pieces. Our initial idea for bringing these clips was into the piece as bursts of appropriated music.
With discussions with Mira we had some really exciting thoughts about the words and phrase that came out of why we had chosen the pieces.
The words are:
Hope
British racing Green
Suspension
Circus
Skyline Violet
Celebration
Serendipity Chaos
Journey
Bursts
Unexpected
Midnight Blue
Out of these words we felt that they had an overall theme of joy, happiness and celebration which went really well with our event for the London Sinfonietta's 40th Birthday. We are going to explore these ideas in our next creative session coming soon...
13 November 2008
Creative Session
The second improv was about having one player as a soloist and the other players responding to their ideas by acting as a supporting sound and movement for their piece. This improv worked well as we felt that each of us were really looking at each other and focused on the individual taking the solo as well as listening to each other as a supporting group.
The next improvisations were based on Lines and Circles and Dots. This was really exciting as they all varied in their dynamics and tempo with each variation and it was good for us to explore every instrument and dance movements, as they found different qualities in the improvisations.
Photos by Amah from this session comming soon..
See the next blog for our progress with these ideas...
12 November 2008
The Culture Collective and Street Genius
We would like to give a warm welcome to new members joining the Culture Collective and Street Genius, and also introduce everyone in the group as well as past members. Amah, Nicole, Nabeel and Timo are joining us in the London Sinfonietta's 40th Birthday! Here is everyone's portraits... enjoy!
Emrul Hassan is a member of the Street Genius and worked on the Marketing for ‘The Buildings are Alive’ . Emrul is currently studying in his foundation year at
Antoine Francoise
Jordan Hunt is a member of the Culture Collective and is a composer, violinist and performer. Jordan <
Katie Keeble
Nicole Robson is a new member to the Culture Collective, she is a cellist and currently playing with four bands, The Irrepressibles, The Monroe Transfer, Charly Blue and the Colours, and her band 16 wires String Quartet. Nicole is a graduate of Kings College London in Music.
Timo is a new member to the Culture Collective and is currently studying his MMUS masters in Composition and Improvisation at
The London Sinfonietta:
Jamie has been involved in the Culture Collective and Street Genius programme since its inception earlier in the year. His role has been to support the group in developing idea’s, curating the events and working with the London Sinfonietta. Jamie is currently Managing Director of All About the Arts and works as a consultant with London Sinfonietta, SOWF and other arts organisations in
Past members:
Alika Jeffs aka AJ worked with the Street Genius for The Buildings are Alive... event in the summer, working with Emrul in the publicity and marketing to the event. He also created a word piece to go with animation, based on the thoughts and feelings of the Culture Collective and Street Genius seeing the Psycho Buildings exhibition at the Hayward Gallery.
Benji Fox worked with the Culture Collective for The Buildings are Alive…event in the summer. Benji designed and created the pre-repaired piano (cic.) as part of the interactive instillation piece and composed a piece with Antoine Francoise for animation. Benji is a graduate of London College of Communication in Sound Design.
Tom-Olaf Urb