Blog Archives

Another great evening at the Hundred Years

31/1/2017

Very lively, excellent and varied performances at the Hundred Years Gallery last Saturday evening, hosted by musician Graham MacKeachan and artist Montse Gallego, with music, mime, storytelling, poetry.
My reading of a Donald Tweet variation on The Marquis (a satirical poem from Rabelaisdada) was followed by my music/film, Edge of Chaos.
Altogether a most convivial evening:
Jill Rock with Nicky Heinen/Maria Lusitano
Grassy Noel & APE: Noel, G. Mack, P Shearsmith, Mike Walter, M. Rathmell
Ana Pallares : poetry & resident painter (with Las Naves de Antofagasta)
Luiz Bruno (I Know I'm An Alien) solo guitar (also depping on guitar with APE)
Mark Rathmell : solo readings (microstories)
Robert Robertson : reading & short music/film presentation
Moon & Madness : Cos Chapman & Jo Roberts
Eleventh Hour Adventists : Jowe Head & Jasmine Peneder
Grahame Painting : solo guitar
Gabriel Keen : solo piano set in the cafe
Mervyn Diese : live & direct via skype (if we can get a connection from Barbados)

A documentary about the artist Ana Pallares

15/1/2017

Here's a documentary made by Oliwia Siem, about the very photogenic, thought-provoking art of Ana Pallares - full of energy, colour and humour:
https://vimeo.com/193105359
Ana Pallares is currently painting new work at the Hundred Years Gallery,
at 13 Pearson Street in London, over the weekends - an unusual opportunity to watch excellent art-in-progress.

An extraordinary masterclass

13/1/2017

I attended an extraordinary masterclass the other morning at the Royal College of Music, given by the world famous Canadian pianist Angela Hewitt. She gave guidance and encouragement to three very good pianists. Her enthusiasm, sense of humour, and perceptive comments - her singing and dancing to illustrate the points she made, succeeded in transforming academically correct performances into living, breathing music.
The vitality of contrasts was a key point, which came up again and again: contrasts in all aspects of the music. For example, the contrasts between the left hand and the right hand: ‘with Bach you always practice the hands separately’ she said. Other contrasts related to Mozart’s melodic phrases, syncopation in Bach, and more generally, timing and its relation to breathing in and out. Also tension and relaxation: she explained about her training in ballet and in Scottish folk dance – she demonstrated several points by dancing, and also singing.
Once again I had the sense that dancing and singing are indivisible, and are fundamental elements that have to be there in some form, when playing an instrument effectively and expressively. This key factor is often neglected in the academic Western approach to music – watch audiences in classical music concerts: they sit mostly completely still, like stones.
Over the years I’ve noticed that when you are listening to some of the most powerful music of composers like Bach and Mozart, you find yourself breathing in time to it: these composers have a direct physical influence on their listeners. As this phenomenon had never been mentioned in my musical education, afterwards I asked Hewitt about it. She was enthusiastic in her response, and she again underlined the vital importance of the breath, and how you breathe when you perform a piece of music.

January 01st, 2017

1/1/2017

And now 2017 - the year of Donald Tweet and Theresa Brexit.
Happy New Year everyone!

Another great evening at the Hundred Years

A documentary about the artist Ana Pallares

An extraordinary masterclass

January 01st, 2017

Archives

linksEmpedocles music/film From Invisible City:East Side MorningPsychic Neonand also some websites:Dennis Dracupframing sounds

links
Empedocles music/film
From Invisible City:
East Side Morning
Psychic Neon
and also some websites:
Dennis Dracup
framing sounds