Joby Burgess, the “insanely talented British percussionist” (Chicago Classical Music) presents Pioneers of Percussion, a solo recital programme of new commissions and pioneering works, from the most innovative and creative composers of the 20th Century.
Seasons - Toru Takemitsu
Can’t Sleep - Rebecca Dale
Ekstasis - Linda Buckley
Psappha - Iannis Xenakis
The King of Denmark - Morton Feldman
The Filthy Fifteen - Nicole Lizée
Called a ‘brilliant musical scientist’ Montreal based Nicole Lizée’s new work with video, The Filthy Fifteen is a quasi documentary on censorship and the PMRC. Linda Buckley a ‘leading figure in the younger generation of Irish composers’ contributes a new work in Ekstasis - fusing live sounds and electronics to create a moment of trance and rapture. Award-winning British composer Rebecca Dale’s Can’t Sleep for vibraphone and loops is inspired by study of the brain’s activity, at the edge of sleep.
Toru Takemitsu’s Seasons explores our changing weather and ecology with a delicate landscape of metallic melody and noise, featuring the aluminium harp. Iannis Xenakis’ Psappha explodes with muscular and abrasive rhythm taken from ancient Greek text. Also employing a graphic score, Morton Feldman uses only soft sounds in the great anti-percussion composition that twinkle like stars in the night.
The 9ft tall Capone-era Aluminium Harp, a typewriter, a giant steel sheet, loop pedals, graphic scores, electronics and video all feature in this revelatory programme from one of contemporary classical’s leading lights.
Recording
Released on 19th March and 16th April 2021 respectively Pioneers of Percussion was recorded in two volumes for Signum Records.
Press Quotes
“Tōru Takemitsu‘s Seasons for solo percussion, was a revelation; Joby Burgess navigated the panoply of instruments as though the music were occurring to him on the spur of the moment … utterly spell-binding.”
5against4
Support
Generously supported with funds from Arts Council England, Lancaster Arts and the Hinrichsen Foundation. Pioneers of Percussion is supported by PRS for Music Foundation & Bell Percussion.
PROMOTERS
Having toured the UK extensively since its premiere in Spring 2016, Pioneers of Percussion is available to tour internationally.