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The University of Southampton
Humanities

Vocal Constructivists Event

Origin: 
Music
Time:
13:00 - 13:50
Date:
2 December 2013
Venue:
Turner Sims University of Southampton Highfield Campus SO17 1BJ

For more information regarding this event, please telephone Louise Johnson on 023 8059 8424 or email L.L.Johnson@soton.ac.uk .

Event details

A vocal recital with a twist

Vocal Constructivists was formed by Jane Alden in 2011 to give what was apparently the first ever vocal-only performance of Cornelius Cardew’s Treatise (1964–67). Believing the score’s length to be a crucial part of its identity, they performed the work in its entirety. The group have since worked on scores by American, British, and Polish composers—pieces by Mark Applebaum, Anthony Braxton, Ronald Kuivila, and Paula Matthusen; George Chambers, Michael Parsons, and Lauren Redhead; Jan Duszyński, Bogusław Schäffer, Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki, Kasia Glowicka, and Andrzej Koszewski. Six of these composers wrote especially for the Vocal Constructivists and collaborated closely in the preparation of the performances.

The group explores idiosyncratic notation as a form of social practice, the score supplying open-ended vocabulary for collective discourse. No one individual assumes the role of artistic director. Instead, all musical decisions come from the group, worked out in collaboration.

The Vocal Constructivists have performed at South London Gallery, V22 Summer Club (The Old Biscuit Factory, Bermondsey), The Forge, Arcola Theatre, Peckham multi-storey carpark (as part of London Contemporary Music Festival), and JACK (Brooklyn, NYC). They were chosen as ensemble in residence for a conference at Wesleyan University, Connecticut, in spring 2013.

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