This is pretty unusual, but I thought worth mentioning, as I know some people here have eclectic taste!
I have three performances this weekend of something I’ve been dreaming up for a bit, new experimental music for baroque flute and live electronics. There’s a great deal of improvisation involved and many variables, so it’s probably a good thing that these first shows are in somewhat obscure locations! I will be singing with the flute, exploring difference tones and microtonal intervals. The electronics setup is unconventional – sinewave and noise generators, and a very delicate network of low pass filters and internal feedback; also, pitched metronomes for phasing rhythms, as well as the worlds smallest saxophone, the soprillo. All that said, I don’t expect the music to be incredibly difficult – it will be musical, not just experiments in sound. Music should always be engaging and enjoyable to listen to, no matter what the ideas are behind it. Let’s see if I can live up to that.
Feb 17: King Street Manor, Northampton, MA
Feb 18: Dream Away Lodge, Becket, MA
Feb 19: The Oak and the Ax, Biddeford, ME
I’m not sure exactly what time – probably 8 or 9ish each night?
I am touring with my friend Jozef Van Wissem, a Dutch lute player – he plays his own entrancing somewhat minimalist compositions. We are supposed to be playing shows further West in early March, and in Canada a few weeks later. I’ll be making some recordings too, and will be glad to share them with the adventurous. I love traditional and early music, but this is new music for early instruments.
Oh and I will be playing a 415 Palanca that I have just received from Fabio Di Natale, made of his special synthetic. I bought it with this kind of performance in mind, as I am traveling in uncertain conditions and want an indestructible flute. It’s an excellent flute. A bit brighter than I’m used to, but I haven’t spent much time with one of ebony or boxwood. I’ll be amplified some of the time, so most of the careful nuance goes out the window anyway.
Robbie Lee
