THE ARC PROJECT ONLINE FESTIVAL
The Arc Project is very excited to announce our latest project, The Arc Project Online Festival 2021.
We have decided to create an online new music festival, where musicians can come together to perform, learn about and discuss new music. The festival will take place from the 11th-19th December 2021 and will include concerts, seminars, panel discussions, lecture recitals and workshops.
This is the biggest project we have ever undertaken and we are very excited to begin to make it a reality. If you have any questions then feel free to email us at thearcprojectmusic@gmail.com
Check out the schedule below and fill up the sign-up sheet!
All events will be hosted on Zoom and concerts will premiere on YouTube with the exception of AMOK and Osc~ on Twitch.
SATURDAY 11TH DECEMBER
DAY ONE
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
LAUNCH CONCERT
The opening concert of The Arc Project Online Festival features works by Arc composers Cameron McArthur, Emily Linane and Owen Russell, as well as two pieces by University of York composers Jack Bishop and James McLeish.
SUNDAY 12TH DECEMBER
DAY TWO
LECTURE RECITAL
10:00 AM GMT
(via Zoom)
THE PERMEABLE COMPOSITION -
TRANSFORMATION THROUGH IMPROVISATION
Birgitta Flick
In this lecture recital I want to look at a composition’s contact with improvisation. Even if improvisation is something deeply innate to composition and often part of the composition process, I am interested in what happens when a composition meets the unforeseen creativity of a musician in the moment of performance, investigating what this spurs in the composition and how it becomes transformed. By performing improvisation with a piece that I compose for the lecture recital, I would like to invite you to discover a composition’s manifold ways to unfold in the moment. I want to combine this with reflections about the composition process and the piece’s transformations during the recital and while composing, including an exchange with and the answering of questions by the audience.
WORKSHOP
12:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
MUSIC AND COLOUR
Atefeh Einali and Eliorah Goodman
A group zoom session where you can listen to music and express your feelings in colours!
You will listen to an improvisation on Santoor and get in touch with your feelings.
CONCERT
1:00 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
LITTLE STORIES
Duo Artina
Acclaimed by the critics, Duo Artina (Andrea Jelavić flute and Martina Jembrišak accordion) is one of the most charismatic and versatile Croatian chamber ensembles of the younger generation.
Their repertoire includes numerous premieres of contemporary pieces written by notable composers.
WORKSHOP
2:30 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
HARP COMPOSITION WORKSHOP
Ruth Lee
Arc’s first call for scores for emerging composers, in collaboration with harpist Ruth Lee. Six composers have been selected, whose pieces for harp and optional loop machine will be in turn be workshopped on the day, followed by a general Q&A open to all. Spectators are welcome. This workshop is suitable for all composers whether you’re learning the fundamentals of writing for harp, further developing idiosyncratic writing for the instrument, or are interested in incorporating live pedals into your composition.
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
CANETTI-MENAGERIE: A SURREAL SOIREE
Joseph Klein
This 70-minute program features six of Joseph Klein's evocative solo works, based on the surreal characters portrayed in Elias Canetti's 1974 book Earwitness. The program is bookended by two realizations of the semi-improvisational chamber work Canetti-menagerie, performed by all six performers, incorporating material from their respective solo works to develop a series of musical conversations between these idiosyncratic characters. The program is conceived as an interdisciplinary, multimedia event that includes dramatic readings of the Canetti texts and illustrations of the various characters created by Danish artist Michael Kvium, which contextualize and enhance the musical experience.
MONDAY 13TH DECEMBER
DAY THREE
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via Twitch)
AMOK
Birmingham and York based Experimental Music and Performance platform AMOK, are presenting a performance live-streamed from Birmingham UK. Featuring acclaimed contemporary bassoonist Olivia Palmer-Baker performing an explosive solo bassoon recital, with works by Dai Fujikura, Pedro Berardinelli and Synthia Oenga. Alongside, AMOK will be presenting a new piece by James McIlwrath and Alexander Kaniewski; “Baseball’s for the boys”, a playful look at one of America's favourite pastimes and its macho associations.
TUESDAY 14TH DECEMBER
DAY FOUR
SEMINAR
6:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
CROSS-CULTURALISM AND SYNTHESIS
Jake Adams
In this seminar, composer Jake Adams will discuss cross-cultural music, with a particular focus on music that combines traditional idioms to create a new, synthetic sound.
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
IN TEMPORE
João Pedro Oliveira
The expression In tempore was used by classical poets to express the involvement of the reader in the “maëlstrom” of time. The video projection over the piano relates to the sounds created by the interaction between the instrument and the electronics. Their interpretation as graphical representations is intuitive and, at the same time, symbolic.
THE LESSON
Brutalust
Brutalust present devised absurdist sound/theatre performance based on Ionesco’s The Lesson. The work looked at cliché, niche and degradation of language, provoking authoritarian and totalitarian realities as present today as they were in 1951.
WEDNESDAY 15TH DECEMBER
DAY FIVE
SEMINAR
6:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
A HARMONIC APPROACH TO RHYTHM
Randall Krieger
A discussion of new research and experiments in the field of perception of rhythm and consonance as it relates to acoustics/psychoacoustics and the overtone series. Some of the content includes a hypothesis for why we prefer rubato, rhythmic analysis of Bach and Native American folk songs.
This new research can inform a different treatment of rhythm which can inspire new approaches to rhythm in all contexts of composition, performance, and analysis. The research branches off of Henry Cowell's work with ratios in "New Musical Resources".
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
東京とニューヨーク TOKYO TO NEW YORK: MUSIC IN THIS TIME
Thomas Piercy
“Tokyo to New York” concerts, under the Artistic Direction of clarinetist and hichiriki player Thomas Piercy, feature new music composed for traditional Japanese instruments and classical Western instruments. The concerts include composers based in NYC, Tokyo, and around the world, and since 2021, Piercy has premiered over 200 works in “Tokyo to New York” concerts. The combination of these instruments brings the ancients sounds and aesthetics into the modern world. Mr. Piercy is joined in this concert by flutist/ryuteki player Lish Lindsey, shakuhachi player Hideyuki Tsuchiya, and pianist/percussionist Miho Sasaki performing works by Jake Adams, Jean-Patrick Besingrand, John Cage, Masatora Goya, David Loeb, and Edward Schocker.
THURSDAY 16TH DECEMBER
DAY SIX
SEMINAR
6:15 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
ANALYSING IMPROVISED MUSIC THROUGH A COMEDIC LENS
Andy Blackwell
Improvisation in modern Western performance can most commonly be found in the mediums of music and comedy. These practices have been an integral part of art performance throughout its history, yet there is an underrepresentation of improvisation in academia. Music and comedy academic discussion privilege score-based and written media over the extemporised, and no theories have been proposed in any field to explain the effect of improvisation. However, there are three accepted theories of comedy that can be used to explain the humorous effects of improvisation. By analysing improvised comedy and also improvised music through the lens of these theories, one can conclude that improvisation in all forms displays elements of humour, and that the wealth of commonality between improvised music and improv comedy transcends the established worlds of composed music and written comedy respectively.
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
FROM MY STUDIO TO THE WORLD
Riley G
'From my Studio to the World' is a production by Riley Giandhari, a South African born drummer, composer and producer. The pieces presented were composed and arranged during the COVID-19 lockdown. At a time of uncertainty, anxiety, and hopelessness, I decided to record some of my compositions which expressed my emotional state. The last piece 'Purity' was composed in August 2019, and I consider this to be some kind of subconscious prophecy for what was approaching a few months after. We are reminded of how fast and drastic life can change. The only assurance that I have for the future is that I can (and will) create music, from my studio......to the world. . .
SAXOPHONE RECITAL
Lucy Havelock
FRIDAY 17TH DECEMBER
DAY SEVEN
SOCIAL
7:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
THE ARC PROJECT ONLINE FESTIVAL VIRTUAL PUB
Come join us for a fun networking session! BYOB
SATURDAY 18TH DECEMBER
DAY EIGHT
CONCERT
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM GMT
(via Twitch)
OSC~
osc~ is a loose collective of musicians dedicated to the performance of long-form improvised megastructures. Previous performances include .75, 6, 8 and 24 hour-long works.
We will be performing for 12 hours, from 9am to 9pm.
Previous sessions can be experienced here: https://cyberneticforest.bandcamp.com/ and here: https://soundcloud.com/osc-6
Follow us on Instagram at @osctwiddle
WORKSHOP
10:00 AM GMT
(via Zoom)
SORT YOUR LIFE OUT!
Yorksound
Using an innovative coaching tool, we will explore prioritisation, organisation, and time management for musicians, including dealing with performance issues. We’ll discuss some of the logistical challenges faced by composers, performers, and music-makers, and share some highly effective, easy-to-learn methods for negotiating these challenges. This session has something for everyone: whether you’re a violinist with a 40-year career behind you, or an undergraduate musicologist making your first career steps, there should be something to gain! In this workshop, there will be a focus on interactive communication and knowledge transfer (it’s a workshop, not a lecture!), and attendees will be encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences throughout the session.
CONCERT
1:00 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
PROCESSING THE AMERICAN DREAM
Brian Mark/Ensemble in Process
“Processing the American Dream” will feature 3 selected works that pertain to themes of immigration, consumerism, and a national economic crisis due to COVID-19.
OUTCRY AND ELEGY: MUSIC FOR VIOLIN ALONE
Claudia Schaer
Solo Violin is an intimate medium with a rich variety of styles, despite the tricky compositional challenge of bowing to the constraints of four strings. Today, we share three vivid 21st-century works for solo violin: Matthew Peterson's Näcken, which brilliantly portrays a Swedish water spirit in the violin's brilliant palette of natural harmonics; Lawrence Kramer's Outcry and Elegy, a deeply-felt response to the pandemic written in 2020 (world première); and Tyler Capp's Stranger Variations, which interweaves the folk tune Wayfaring Stranger with fiddle and contemporary classical styles for a hopeful and joyous way forward.
PANEL
2:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
STRAIGHT INTO TANGLES - TELEMATIC EXPERIMENTS WITH LIVE-ON-ZOOM ORCHESTRA
Tiffany Chang, Ralph Lewis & members of the Oberlin Arts and Sciences Orchestra
In 2020, the Oberlin Arts and Sciences Orchestra commissioned Ralph Lewis to compose a work titled "Straight into Tangles" for full orchestra to be performed entirely on Zoom. It is meant to be a live experience that embraces the playful imperfections of audio in this medium. Deliberate straight lines and clear, unblended colors (inspired by the rigor of Mondrian) are performed into Zoom, and unstable, uncertain, scuffed, tangled sounds return. Conductor Tiffany Chang, along with Ralph Lewis and orchestra members, will discuss the process and share the final recording from April 2021.
LECTURE RECITAL
3:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
CONCERT OF ASIAN FEMALE MUSIC
Jingchao Wang
Identified as this unique group, Asian female composers, we want to spread our voice and power through our music. This concert features 6 Asian female composers from all over the world, including: China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam. We use our music as a vehicle to share our background, history, culture, and stories happening around us.
PANEL
5:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
COMPOSERS AND TECHNOLOGY
Tim Corpus, Edna Longoria, Angelo Hart, Roc Lee & Justin Kennedy
Composer Tim Corpus leads a panel discussion with composers Edna Longoria, Angelo Hart, Roc Lee, and Justin Leo Kennedy about "composers & technology". The group will discuss new ways that technology impacts their work flow in composing for film, live performances, interactive media, and theatre. They'll also highlight software tips and tricks, composing methods, and different workflows with technology. Submit questions in advance at https://timcorpus.net/index.php/arc-project-new-music-festival/
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
PHYLOGENESIS: PROCESS AND CHANGE IN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
28/78 New Music Ensemble
28/78 New Music Ensemble returns to performing live music for the first time in over a year! This concert features a world premiere, a live premiere, and two pieces hot off the press, all by local emerging Californian composers. Don’t miss the chance to see 28/78 perform in the X Space, an immersive performance venue housed at University of the Pacific.
SUNDAY 19TH DECEMBER
FINAL DAY
PANEL
10:00 AM GMT
(via Zoom)
CHAIN OF WORKS: A SOUND & WORD NETWORK COLLABORATION
Sound & Word Network
A presentation of the audio-visual work "Chain of Works:1", created by an international collective of composers and writers.
CONCERT
1:00 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
THE BUDDHA, THE MONKEY KING AND THE MONK OF THE RIVER
Anna Vienna Ho
A new opera adapted from Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Rooted in Chinese folk religion, mythology, and Confucianist, Taoist and Buddhist philosophies, this opera opens a new window on the novel, telling the whole story. The opera "The Monk of the River" is about a young monk seeking justice and revenge before his journey to the west, with a prologue showing one of its most iconic moments in the novel as Buddha talks to the mighty Monkey King. Scored for an ensemble of Chinese and Western musical instruments, this opera blends both musical traditions. Sung in English.
LECTURE RECITAL
2:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
SUZY HOMEMAKER
Erica Mulkern
The term ‘Suzy Homemaker’ is used as a derisive reference to any woman with habits linked to stereotypical domestic activities traditionally done by women. Suzy Homemaker was a line of miniature functional toy household appliances produced by Topper Toys, and launched in 1966. It taught girls how to be the perfect housewife, just like their mother. In this film we see women throughout history trapped in a role they did not ask for, they had no choice. Domestic Bliss quickly turns into a distorted nightmare. We hope that you enjoy the film and perhaps it might make you think about HERstory instead of just 'history'.
LECTURE RECITAL
3:00 PM GMT
(via Zoom)
ACCORDION FOR COMPOSERS
Martina Jembrišak
This Seminar will present accordion as classical instrument with wide range of
possibilities. It should be useful for composers to understand better how to write for this instrument. Martina Jembrišak (1995) is Croatian accordionist, producer and music manager recognised for "precision, devotion to details, great musical personality and sense of musical expression" (Cantus). In 2020 she was awarded with prize "Ivo Vuljević" which is given to the best young Croatian musician of the year.
CONCERT
7:30 PM GMT
(via YouTube Premiere)
THE MIND
Aulus Duo
The Mind centres around 'Bottled' by Ryan Mark Elliott. This piece brings 'Bottled' by Tom & Jo Brassington to life and hopes to generate conversations about emotional honesty in us all. Preceeding this work is Jared Destro's 'Berceuse on the folksong Anodd Ymadael'. This composition, written for the duo's participation in the 2021 National Eisteddfod, details a long night of uncertainty as a widow tells her children why their father is absent. The duo finish their concert with Jake Adams' 'Remembering Bells'. Born of the desire for collaboration between the ensemble and composer, this piece is a personal exploration of the ebb and flow of the mind's experience of anxiety. To represent the 'cyclic nature of anxious thinking,' the piece ends where it began, the guitar on a single repeated E which gradually fades to nothing.