That this edition of Transit should coincide with the local elections is actually a total coincidence. Nonetheless, it offers an opportunity to reflect on the notion of ‘democracy’ as it is applied in the relations between composers, performers and audience. This project is twofold: amateur singers will premiere a work by Bryn Harrison that addresses precisely such issues, while the young musicians from the Nadar Summer Academy will delve into the ‘open’ structures of James Saunders’s music.
- free -
Program
Bryn Harrison (premiere) / James Saunders (premiere) - Composition commission by MATRIX [New Music Centre] funded by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
Composers
Bryn Harrison
Bryn Harrison grew up in Bolton. After studying at the City of Leeds College of Music, Harrison turned more seriously towards experimental composition as he undertook the Master’s degree with Gavin Bryars at De Montfort University, Leicester. During his twenties and thirties, Harrison developed an individual approach to dealing with time as a circular and repeating entity. More recently his output has seen further development of recursive musical structures with a series of composition of long duration, such as Repetitions in Extended Time (2008) and passing light (2014).
James Saunders
Composer James Saunders studied at the
University of Huddersfield and latterly at the Royal Northern College of Music.
He has a strong interest in group behaviours and decision-making. He performs
in the duo Parkinson Saunders, and with Apartment House. He runs the Open
Scores Lab at Bath Spa University.
Performers
De 2de Adem
De 2de Adem (the second breath) was
founded in 1984 by Marc Michael De Smet, and is lead by Maarten Van Ingelgem
since 2001. The choir specializes in contemporary choir repertoire since 1950.
Not only does it programme compositions by established composers, it chooses to
be a laboratory for young composers, to create in close collaboration. Because
of its daring programming, and by purposefully choosing to focus on creation
and improvisation, it has earned its spot in the Flemish choral world.
Nadar Summer Academy
In 2011
Nadar ensemble and MATRIX joined forces in order to start up an exciting new
project: an internship for young musicians, starting at the age of fourteen,
entirely dedicated to contemporary music. For five days, the participants are
immersed in a new musical world. They work around twentieth century repertoire
as well as recent compositions, from John Cage to Simon Steen-Anderson, in
individual classes, and ensemble and chamber music sessions. Each year the
Summer Academy provides a special event. At the end of the internship the
Academy organizes a concert, which is (partially) repeated on a professional
stage.
STUK
Naamsestraat 96
3000
Leuven
Parking
H. Hartkliniek, Naamsestraat 102c
Bus
Lijnen 1 en 2
Halte H. Hartkliniek
Not on time?
Late-comers will not be admitted to the concert.