Microtonal recordings of frozen waterfalls, truffle mycelia, fruiting trees in Umbria, ephemeral spring wildflowers in Canada: join us on a journey across a rich tapestry of music for piano and electronics by Ed Bennett, Alvin Lucier and Gayle Young. Lucier’s classic “Music for Piano with Slow Sweep Pure Wave Oscillators” will “tune” our ears, teaching us to discern minute variations of microtonal beating as we liberate the piano from familiar restrictions of equal temperament. Bennett’s premieres of a set of striking miniatures will explore spectral relationships and establish a lively and striking dialogue between the piano and electronic sound, while Young’s poetic musings on environmental themes will soothe and provoke, massaging our ears and waking up multi-sensory associations.

This concert also celebrates the launch of “As Trees Grow”, a new portrait disc of music for piano, live electronics and field recording by Gayle Young released on Ars Subtilior / Farpoint Recordings.

Photo Credit: Rachel McCarthy

Pre-concert talk (5:30pm)

Edible plants, mycelia and foraging: music for piano, electronics and field recordings by Gayle Young

Local wild food foraging expert Clare McQuillan (Feasting on Weeds) will join Bangor-based pianist Xenia Pestova Bennett and Canadian composer, instrument designer and sound artist Gayle Young in conversation about edible plants and our relationship with the environment. We will learn about Young’s use of field recording and descriptive texts that draw on wild flower foraging recipes and fungi-dependent fruit-bearing trees. We will place this inspiration into a local context, discovering about edible plants that can be gathered around our wild coasts and weaving together collective stories of foraging in Canada, Siberia, European Russia and Northern Ireland.

Concert Programme

Alvin Lucier (1931 – 2021): Music for Piano with Slow Sweep Pure Wave Oscillators (1992), piano and fixed media
Ed Bennett (b. 1975): New Work (2022, world premiere), piano and fixed media
Gayle Young (b. 1950): As Trees Grow (2014, Irish premiere), piano and live electronics
Forest Ephemerals (2004, selections), piano solo
Ice Creek (2018, Irish and UK premiere), piano and field recordings