Project Description
Extended Play
@ City Recital Hall
31/08/19
(Live Review)
Reviewer/Photographer: Ro Llauro
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After attending to last year’s highly experimental sessions, I was very excited for this year’s Extended Play. A full day of classical and avant-garde works. The classy City Recital Hall does not disappoint. Ever. As I walk into the first floor, I am welcomed by musicians improvising, lending each other their Cellos and discussing their favourite bows.
The venue generates a soothing setting for collaboration and fascinating erudite discussions about the past, present and future of music. Wine, champagne, and nibbles accompanied by beautiful voices and exciting works.
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My day starts with Emily Granger and Tim Bridgen. The duo take us away with a very welcoming session in a cosy atmosphere. A room, full to the brim with people of all ages watch as Emily plays her harp like an angel accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Tim who guides us through metaphysical worlds accompanied by otherworldly visuals and percussion.
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As if that weren’t enough, The Australian Voices take us to new heights. The highest point of the performance was Gordon Hamilton‘s Antarctica travel stories. He lead us through a beautiful narrative that triggered the inspiration behind his composition. He told us about being able to acquire a 24 hour recording of the ocean during his trip as to include the singing of whales into his piece. We patiently, attentively, curiously waited for him to instruct the whales to introduce the piece, and without much hesitation his beautiful multi-layered ensemble transported us into his ship and through the Southern Ocean.
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Intercurrent got an opportunity to showcase each one of their talents. These WA-based musicians presented astonishing musicianship with their minimalist and post-minimalist acoustic and electronic sound worlds. Ashley William Smith showed indisputable mastery while performing a piece he described “as exhausting as a cross-fit workout”. Once we managed to catch our breath, Lachlan Skipworth boggled our minds with the palindromic reverse-canon Intercurrent, which, as he explained, can be played backwards or forwards.
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This year was all about voices and Mezzo-soprano Jenny Duck-Chong did not disappoint. Accompanied by the classical guitar of Matthew Gorbach, they performed joyful, high-spirited songs by Kerry Andrew and Matthew Hindson.
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Just down stairs, pianist of the Elision Ensemble at the National Concert Hall, Taipei, Alex Waite Performed to a quite attentive audience. Each composition a masterpiece. Nothing but his keys, his performance. Even his own presence was obfuscated by the sounds of his instrument.
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Oliver Shermacher gave three performances. One in each level. His performance of Alice Chance’s Star new highly introspective piece was particularly unique, puzzling, and interactive. He handed out led lights, walked among the people, have them participate with their cell phones. He looked at them in the eye and transmitted his energy and empathy with total fluidity.
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The great thing about watching UNSW’s New Music collective is having the opportunity to discover upcoming works and talent. Their guest guitarist shreded his guitar to one of Radiohead’s Jonny Greewood’s works and owned the stage like a true rock legend.
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And, as expected from the university’s flourishing minds, we had the opportunity to witness subversive and opinionated pieces led by internationally-acclaimed pianist Sonya Lifschitz. Eclectic video edits of Gillard’s misogyny accusations towards Tony Abbott, musical poems, and a personal account of the agony between musicians and their muse showed us that music and speech go hand in hand.
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I must say, that after a great day of innovative works, the icing on the cake was Margaret Leng Tan.
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She first leaned over a beautiful Steinberg piano. We watched her play like a pro, just to prove that she can. Then, she finished her piece by banging on the keys with her fists. It was time to move on to her toy piano and a well art directed set of toys, I mean, instruments. A perfect “set up”.
Full of good vibes, satire, and childish play, she made statements from the art of happiness to critiques towards United States and Donald Trump’s administration.
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Little by little she continued to add instruments, squeeze horns under her arms, kazoo in mouth, keys at the tip of her fingers.
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It was a long haul. 12 hours of non-stop mind-blowing performances and music, but it felt like a much-needed time-off. A little piece of heaven in the heart of the city. Something to take you away for a little while yet remaining highly comfortable and accommodating. Step in, watch, listen, step out, play with other musicians, watch musician’s improvise, have a glass of wine and step back in for another mind-blowing experience.
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