KK#8 - 30 June 2009 at CAFE OTO

Here are highlights of the most recent Kammer Klang event at Cafe Oto in Dalston.


Performances:

MAYMING - Seaming To - Voice/Semay Wu - Cello

Shabaka Hutchings performs CORNELIUS CARDEW's - Mountains (Bass Clarinet)
English born Cardew draws from JS Bach's keyboard partitas and solo string writing in this 11 minute bass clarinet solo. The piece (1977) is prefaced with a poem by Mao Tse Tung, "Piercing the blue of heaven, your barbs unblunted, The skies would fall but your strength supporting" (1934/35), an epic set of variations.

Shabaka Hutchings and Lucy Railton performs IANNIS XENAKIS's - Charisma
This piece written in 1972 also bears a phrase alongside the title, a Greek inscription from Homer's The Iliad, "then the soul like smoke moved into the earth, grinding". A harsh, distorted and haunting expression from the 20th C giant and seminal composer Xenakis.

Kerry Yong performs PETER ABLINGER's Voices and Piano
A cycle of pieces featuring the recorded voices of well-known celebrities (Mother Theresa, Morton Feldmann & Billie Holiday) giving speeches, interviews or readings. The piano behaves like a coarse sonic-doppelgänger of the voice, so that speech and music are confronted and compared.

Kerry Yong performs LUIGI NONO's .....sofferte onde serene...
A classic from the 70s, melds the recorded piano-sounds of pianist Maurizio Pollini with live-piano, evoking the soundscape of the lagoons and bells of Venice.

KK#7 - 26 May 2009

Kämmer Klang 7 was guest curated by Mark Knoop with works exploring the nature of live collaboration.
MICHAEL MATTHEW'S - The First Sea
for clarinet and tape.
performed by Vicky Wright

ØYVIND TORVUND Audio Guide
for keyboard and tape
performed by Mark Knoop
MARK KNOOP - A.B.
for clarinet and accordion


GASTRO - Songs of food

Adam de la Cour - guitar/voice
Richmond Stockwell - drums
Mark Knoop- accordion

Variously described as modernist post-folk complexist skiffle, they are obsessed with food. Titles include "Bangers 'n' Mash", "Strawberries" and "Milk".

ANGHARAD DAVIES & ALEX WATERMAN
improvisation: violin & cello

video highlights here

KK#6 - 28 April 2009

- Mira Calix (electronics) and Oliver Coates (cello) Duo

- Anna Meredith (solo electronics)

- Henry Purcell - Three Part Fantasias adapted for modern string trio

- Edgard Varese - Poeme Electronique

- Ah! You sitting, comfortably! - Cowboy George (for clarinet and cowboy) by Adam de la Cour


KK#5 - 24 February 2009



* THE FINAL TERROR
Pete Wareham - Sax
Leo Taylor - Drums
Ruth Goller - Bass
Chris Sharkey - Guitar
Kenichi Iwasa - Keyboard

* Kerry Yong plays two works for Casiotone keyboard & electronics
STOCKHAUSEN - KLAVIERSTUCK XVI
SCELSI - AITSI

* Laurence Crane - Riis (for cello, organ & clarinet)

Clarinet - Vicky Wright
Organ - Kerry Yong
Cello - Lucy Railton

* KK COMMISSION: James Williamson's solo percussion piece performed by Sarah Cresswell.

Complete performance of Scelsi

KK#4 - 27 January 2009

* Leafcutter John
Featuring the KK String Quartet, live electronics and animated graphic score

* Steve Reich - Different Trains (for string quartet and tape)
>>> Listen to the piece here

* Scott Lygate - Genzmer (for bass clarinet)

KK#3 - 2 December 2008

* Lucy Railton (cello) performs Pression by Helmet Lachenmann

* Kammer Klang 4 perform When Is a Door Not A Door? by Matthew Shlomowitz

* Improvisation by Patrick Farmer (snare drum), Dominic Lash (Double Bass) & Matt Milton (violin)

* Mark Knoop & Matthew Shlomowitz perform Counting Duets by Tom Johnson

Here is a video clip with footage from the night - sadly missing the improvisation.


Kammer Klang 4
(Sasha Milavic Davies, Lucy Railton, Matthew Shlomowitz & Mark Knoop)

KK#2 - 28 October 2008

* David Worswick (violin) performs A Paganini by Alfred Schnittke

* Isambard Khroustaliov sets in motion Pendulum Music by Steve Reich

* Vicky Wright (bass clarinet), Sasha Koushk-Jalali (tuba), Rob Ames (viola) Sarah Creswell (percussion) and Lucy Railton (’cello) perform Workers Union by Louis Andriessen

* Improvisation by Oren Marshall (tuba) & Maurizio Ravalico (congas)

KK#1 - 30 September 2008

Ed Brenton (violin), Rob Ames (viola) & Lucy Railton (’cello) perform Signs, Games & Messages by György Kurtág

Sasha Milavic Davies (performer) & Lucy Railton (’cello) perform Letter Pieces by Matthew Shlomowitz

* Sarah Cresswell (metallic percussion) performs Flex by Anna Meredith

* A new work by Isambard Khroustaliov (electronics) in collaboration with film maker Alice Scott

* Improvisation by Alex Bonney (piccolo trumpet) & Isambard Khroustaliov (electronics)

Here is a video clip with footage from the night.