Saturday, 12 February 2011

Composition (2011): 'Apart'

For a large ensemble

The group should be spread as far apart as possible throughout the room - sitting or standing amongst the audience, occupying the nooks and the corners, facing away from each other. Do not listen. Play repeated arpeggios from any chord in the scale of C Major, as slowly and as quietly as possible without paying attention to the playing of any other person in the group.

Gradually, increase your speed and volume, until you are playing as fast as possible.

Play even faster.

Allow your accuracy to decrease, let wrong notes slip in and gradually take over your performance, and let the noise element come to dominate the tone element of your playing.

Only then, start to listen to to the others.

When you are satisfied with what you can hear, and your listening has overtaken your ability to concentrate on your playing, stop.

[Please contact me in the event of any public performance of this piece]

No comments:

Post a Comment