Programm
| Kasia Glowicka (1977) | Turbulence (2009) for piano, electronics and video video artist: Emmanuel Flores -entry for the 2nd European live electronic competition- |
| Yannis Kyriakides (1969) | hYDAtorizon (1999) for piano and sine waves |
| Anne Parlevliet (1978) | Open (2008) for piano and electronics |
| Ton de Leeuw (1926-1996): | Les Adieux (1988) |
Kasia Glowicka (1977): Turbulence (2009) for piano, electronics and video -entry for the 2nd European live electronic competition-
Turbulence is a piece in which the emotional and visual aspects of a ride on an amusement park machine are recreated. In the centre of the visual element is the video work by Emmanuel Flores, a movie that renders abstract movements of turbulent physical models and at the same time gives it organic structures. The director succeeded in giving the audience a unique and interesting, almost kinesthetic perspective of the movement.
The musical aspect concentrates on underlining the movement and creating and controlling acceleration of the speed sensations. The musical structures are aiming as well to recreate the acoustic and timbral qualities of a giant bell. This is achieved with the help of live electronic transformations of the audio output from the grand piano.
Turbulence is an artistic simulation of the ride aiming to provide a deep emotional and physical response from the audience.
Yannis Kyriakides (1969-): hYDAtorizon (1999) for piano and sine waves
Four small speakers playing a constant signal of sliding sine-tones are installed inside a piano where they create sympathetic vibrations with the strings. The piano picks out single notes from this slow flowing harmonic stream. The zen-like nature of this piece is inspired by the pre-socratic philosopher Parmenides who coined the oxymoron "hydatorizon" (water-rooted) to describe his world view in both a material and metaphysical sense. He compares the mind to something like floating seaweed - groundless and drifting - to be rooted in water in one sense is to have lost one's roots.
Anne Parlevliet (1978): Open (2008) for piano and electronics -entry for the 2nd European live electronic competition-
The piece can be considered as an interactive duet between piano and electronics. A duet by the piano itself actually: all the sounds come from inside and outside the piano. The piece balances between contrasts like open and closed, fast and slow, free and exacltly timed play, real and manipulated sound.
“Open” consists of 5 parts:
Intro
Theme
Reaction on reverse
Rhythm
Final theme
The chords that are played by the pianist are derived from 2 bars of Bach's French Suite No 1, Menuet II
The electronics contain very soft intimate wooden sounds wich are amplified and also heavy metal sounds from the strings. These sounds are manipulated by time-stretching, pitching, reversing and granular synthesis. Chords from the piano are pre-played and repeated in the electronics in a way that they melt together into one sound. The pre-recorded material is divided into several sections and layers. This material will be live timed and balanced with the piano by the composer. This happens on a Macbook Pro with a Digidesign Mbox2 Pro soundcard. The piano will be lightly amplified so that it will mix nicely with the electronics.
Ton de Leeuw (1926-1996): Les Adieux (1988)
Ton de Leeuw (1926-1996) is a unique phenomenon to European music. Working during the apogee of the European avant-garde, his artistic intuition has led him astray of dominant trends such as serial techniques, aleatorics and sonorism. A connoisseur and zealous admirer of Eastern music and thought, de Leeuw constructs his music idioms upon its exotic sounds and unique philosophies. Indeed, his compositional starting point is the motto of “Les Adieux” (“Farewells”) of Vishnu Purana, the sacred text of the Vaishnava branch of Hinduism: “Sounds exist only as form for those who perceive sound as form.” De Leeuw’s style traverses several aesthetics, beginning with the pseudo mystical aesthetic of his teacher, Messiaen, then moving into micro tonality, electronics, gamelan and sonoristics. Taken as a whole, his output clearly demonstrates how each of his creative periods served as an end to the previous one and an experimental field for the next. De Leeuw was a great friend of Bulgaria and a connoisseur of its musical heritage. Coincidentally, few people here recognized him as the composer he is, but meeting him during his master classes in composition in Bulgaria remains an unforgettable experience for every one of us who knew him.
The last decade saw Sonsoles grow both as a musician and performer, continually redefining her self and emerging as a major voice in the growing contemporary piano and (live) electronics formats. The care and attention she gives her performances allows each composition to stand strong individually, making the whole an extraordinary collection. It’s as if the opposing temperaments of her classical roots and her innovative, avantgarde wings seem to generate electricity in the atmosphere creating a musical experience that is both magic and refreshing. This combined with her alluring personality, sense of adventure and challenging repertoire make each concert a pleasure to the ears and a feast for the eyes.
Influenced by her teachers Anthony de Mare (20th-century piano literature) and Morton Feldman's disciple Nils Vigeland (20th century analysis), Sonsoles moved to Amsterdam in 1996 to specialize in the interpretation of contemporary music as a soloist and also as a member of various ensembles. During the past 10 years she has built an impressive career with concerts in Holland and abroad, multidisciplinary projects plus concerts with other musicians and different ensembles. Sonsoles also improvises and works with live electronics as well.
Today Sonsoles effortlessly interprets her classical and contemporary repertoires with such unflinching zeal that she has managed to do away with all restrictions on her creative output. It is her magical abilities that enable her to interpret classical repertoire with an understated eloquence and elegance but also enable her to fiercely attack the piano keys; it has been said of her, “ The highest point of the evening was Luigi Nono's ‘Sofferte onde Serene’, played formidably by pianist Sonsoles Alonso.......Alonso brought forth with thunder the most deep and profound caverns of the piano.”...
She has been heard during: Gentse Vleugels (Belgium), Festival Punto Aparte (Spain), Randspiele Festival (Berlin), Rumor Festival (Utrecht), Fundación March (Madrid), Treveszaal (Second Chamber, The Hague), Headquarters of the ABN-Amro Bank Amsterdam, AKBank (Istanbul), Goethe Institut Boston (US), Deep Listening Space of Pauline Oliveros (New Vanguard Series, New York) and with different ensembles during the Gaudeamus Week, de Suite Muziekweek, Festival Spazio Musica (Cagliari, Italy), Festival für Neue Musik (Darmstadt, Germany). She has collaborated with Jannie Pranger, Albert van Veenendaal and Jozef Dumoulin (Travelling Light Piano Trio), Jorrit Tamminga (piano and live electronics), Rosa Ensemble & Hans Dagelet, John Addison and Ville Hiltula. Upcoming collaborations include: Electra, Moritz Eggert, Alberto Rosado, César Peris and Julián Elvira.
Sonsoles holds degrees in Classical Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Madrid and the Manhattan School of Music (Masters) in New York. She also studied privately with Vitalij Margulis in Freiburg (Germany) and with Philip Kawin in New York. At the Conservatory of Amsterdam she followed the course ‘Contemporary Music through Non-Western Techniques’ focusing on rhythmic complexity.
While her greatest joy is performing Sonsoles also understands the importance of sharing her knowledge. She is often invited to give lectures and master classes on the subject of contemporary music with and without (live) electronics in The Netherlands (HKU and Conservatory of Utrecht) and with Jorrit Tamminga she has taught in Spain and Germany.