Sound Symposium XX Artist’s
Artist Bios
SARAH ALBU (QC)
Sparse and otherworldly spatialized walkie-talkie feedback gives way to folksong fragments, which transform into bubbling rushing water and murmurings of tree names. In this intimate presentation, singer and experimental vocalist Sarah Albu is joined by percussionist Noam Bierstone and local musician David Buley on hurdy-gurdy in her own compositions and compositions by composer Gayle Young. https://www.sarahalbu.com
KATHLEEN ALLAN (ON, NL)
Kathleen Allan will be conducting rehearsals and the evening performance of ARKORA, an electric vocal chamber consort dedicated to blurring the lines between the music of our time and masterworks from the ancient repertoire. Rehearsals are be open to the public. www.kathleenallan.com
CURTIS ANDREWS (BC, NL) — THE OFFERING OF CURTIS ANDREWS
Percussionist, composer, and teacher, Curtis Andrews creates music that is informed by his many years of experience with West African, South Indian, and jazz traditions. Curtis will share the Sound Symposium stage with his mentor, Trichy Sankaran, guitarist Jared Burrows, Patrick Boyle, trumpet. He will also perform with the Arkora Consort.
ARKORA
Arkora is an electric vocal chamber consort dedicated to blurring the lines between the music of our time and masterworks from the ancient repertoire. For Sound Symposium XX, Arkora presents Transfigured Light, featuring newly-commissioned with works from medieval and Renaissance times. Transfigured Light will include a lighting design choreographed to the music. www.arkoramusic.com
LOS BEATNIKO (NL)
For Sound Symposium XX, los beatnik (Rick Bailey) will offer “Hasty Vacationing,” an installation and sound experiment that will attempt to breathe new life into some of society’s all-too-familiar abandoned spaces that have been left vacant.
NICHOLAS BENDZSA (NL)
Nicholas Bendzsa will share his ambient, sonic environments in Eastern Edge Gallery’s late night electronic lounge on Monday, July 18. www.hulloworld.bandcamp.com
PATRICK BOYLE (BC/NL)
Patrick Boyle will perform Monday evening, July 18, in “The Offering of Curtis Andrews” – with Curtis, Trichy Sankaran and Jared Burrows. Pat Boyle is a fearless sonic explorer driven by discovery. www.patrickboyle.ca
AMY BRANDON (NS)
Amy Brandon will present “Boundary”, a sonic installation in a swim pool. Visitors entering the pool will hear different things depending on whether they are above or below the waterline. They are welcome to quietly swim, float or dive and experience the transition between the two worlds. www.amybrandon.ca
BILL BRENNAN (NL)
Bill Brennan will appear as both a pianist, percussionist. He will play percussion in the world premiere of Russell Hartenberger’s Red River, as a keyboardist with Bageshree Vaze, with NEXUS in their evening concert. www.billbrennan.ca
GREG BRUCE (QC, NL)
For his debut appearance as a soloist in a Sound Symposium concert, Greg will present post-digital works wielding a saxophone augmented by a guitar amp and portable cassette recorder. If you are finding digital a bit much, you may want to take part in his workshop “Fun with Tape: Analogue Will Safe the World!” www.gregbruce.ca
ALICE BURDICK (NS)
With percussionist Erin Donovan Alice Burdick will lead TRAIL REPORTS — poetry, percussion and dance in the Memorial University’s Botanical Garden.
JARED BURROWS (BC)
Dr. Jared Burrows will perform in The Offering of Curtis Andrews – with Andrews, Trichy Sankaran, and Patrick Boyle www.jaredburrows.com
BILL COLEMAN (ON)
SOUND OF MIND & BODY by Bill Coleman & Gordon Monahan
Bill Coleman and Gordon Monahan use brainwave sensing technology to produce sound, music, and movement. An EEG interface worn by dancer-choreographer Coleman sends data to several Max/MSP software patches in real-time, and Monahan simultaneously controls several Max/MSP software patches on stage that harness Coleman’s brain signals to sculpt soundwaves, light, instrumental composition and kinetic actions into a progressively layered multi-media artwork www.bill-coleman.com
BEN DIAMOND, solo guitar (QC, NL)
Ben Diamond is a contemporary classical guitarist who strives to push the limits of the instrument with each performance. www.bendiamond-classicalguitarist.com
KATELYN DOBBIN (QC, NL)
Themes of identity, home, and storytelling are prominent in Katelyn Dobbin’s art, which recalls the sights, textures, and sounds of Newfoundland. “You can’t drink the sea” is inspired by the artist’s memories of Newfoundland’s natural environment and cultural traditions.
ERIN DONOVAN (NS)
Erin Donovan and poet Alice Burdick will lead “Trail Reports” — a series of short interconnected observational poems set in the natural world of the Memorial University’s Botanical Garden. The audience and Sound Symposium participants — dancer Andrea Tucker and percussionists Rob Power, Gina Ryan and Bill Brennan will play small percussion instruments at specific points. www.hearhereproductions.ca/erin-donovan
EASTERN OWL (NL)
Jenelle Duval, Stacey Howse, Kayla Stride, Danielle Benoit, Natasha Blackwood, Jaime O’Leary, Rebecca Sharr & Joanna Barker.
Eastern Owl is an Indigenous-led all nations group of women who blend the styles of First Nations Drum Music and Contemporary Folk to create their own innovative sound. www.easternowl.wordpress.com
HARBOURLIGHT QUARTET (NL)
The Harbourlight –Nancy Case-Oates, violin; Kate Read, viola; Amy Collyer-Holmes, cello; and Mado Christie, piano will explore piano quartet repertoire and add to it with new commissions.
https://www.facebook.com/TheHarbourlightQuartet
RUSSELL HARTENBERGER
For Sound Symposium XX, Dr. Russell Hartenberger will offer the world premiere of “Red River”, his composition in five movements for twelve percussionists.
DWIT HATHI, guitar Toronto, Ontario
Dwit Hathi’s musical style involves a lot of influences from Indian classical, jazz, fusion, rock, and pop music For Sound Symposium he will perform in concert with Kathak dancer Bageshree Vaze, table specialist Vineet Vyas, and musician Bill Brennan.
BEVERLEY JOHNSTON (She/her)
Beverley Johnston is one of Canada’s leading percussionists. For Sound Symposium XX, she will perform as a soloist in a program of new percussion works, and will also perform in the world premiere of Red River by composer/percussionist Russell Hartenberger.
KILAUTIUP SONGUNINGA (Strength of the Drum) (NL)
For Sound Symposium XX, KS will perform in concert, and offer a workshop on Inuit drums and throat singing.
MICHELLE LACOUR (NL)
Michelle LaCour is currently working on an improvisation-based project with violist Kate Read that combines excerpts from classical works with loops, electronics, and found sounds. www.michellelacour.com
GORDON MONAHAN (ON)
For Sound Symposium XX, Gordon will collaborate with dancer Bill Coleman in offering a version of “Sound of Mind and Body.” Welcome back, Gordon! www.gordonmonahan.com
NEXUS Percussion Quartet (ON, USA)
NEXUS is widely recognized as one of the most influential percussion ensembles to have emerged in the post-war period” The New York Times has called NEXUS “the high priests of the percussion world,” and Steve Reich describes them as “probably the most acclaimed percussion group on earth.” Comprised of Bob Becker, Bill Cahn, Russell Hartenberger, and Garry Kvistad, www.nexuspercussion.com
KATE READ (NL)
St. John’s- based violist Kate Read will perform in the Sound Symposium XX opening evening concert with Michelle, LaCour, electronics, and again as a member of the Harbourlight Quartet.
BENTON ROARK (ON/NL) Composer, Producer, Director
Benton Roark currently serves as Associate Artistic Director of Sound Symposium and Artistic Director of Arkora. www.bentonroark.com
GINA RYAN (Quebec)
Gina Ryan will premiere and perform her own composition with a solo and a duo with percussionist Erin Donovan. She will also join TRAIL REPORTS, created and led by percussionist Erin Donovan and poet Alice Burdick. https://www.ginaryanpercussion.com
TRICHY SANKARAN (ON)
Professor Trichy Sankaran is a world-renowned percussion virtuoso, Indian music scholar and composer, and the founding director of Indian music studies at York University.
www.Trichysankaran.com
TRIO LYRICAL
Emily Finch, Katherine Moffatt and Michael O’Keefe (NL)
Trio Lyrical will premiere two works by Newfoundland and Labrador composers: Barmp, by Robert Humber and Fanfara, Pavane & Gilliard, Mere Bagatelle by Anthony St. Pierre.
TORQ Percussion Quartet (ON)
Richard Burrows, Jamie Drake, Dan Morphy and Yang Chen.
TorQ will perform in the opening evening concert of Sound Symposium XX, July 15, and will also perform in the world premiere of Russell Hartenberger’s Red River. https://torqpercussion.ca
www.arkoramusic.com/dan-morphy
www.jamiedrake.ca
www.raburrows.com
www.yangchen.ca
BAGESHREE VAZE & VINEET VYAS (ON)
GAYLE YOUNG (ON)
Gayle Young builds instruments with alternative tunings and composes for a in which the entire instrument comprises one octave. For Sound Symposium XX Gayle will lead a Deep Listening Session, and work behind the scenes with the Sound Symposium team. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayle_Young
LEANNE ZACHARIAS (MB)
Cellist Leanne Zacharias will offer a series of recitals designed for a small, close-listening audience. This idea was inspired by architectures and environments, and by a combined desire to bring listeners closer to both space and to the sounds of a cello being played live. http://www.leannezacharias.com