Extraordinary Concert of the New Music Orchestra and SoundCheck at the 12th Ał Festival

Spaces of Sound and Imagination

On December 4, 2024, at 18:00 in the Concert Hall of the Academy of Music in Łódź, two exceptional formations will meet: the New Music Orchestra (OMN) and SoundCheck – New Music Ensemble of the Academy of Music in Łódź. This extraordinary event, part of the 12th edition of the Ał Festival, is titled 'Spaces' and will take the audience into the world of sounds that explore the boundaries of music, technology, and theater.

The New Music Orchestra, the oldest Polish ensemble performing contemporary music, and the young, dynamic SoundCheck from the Łódź Academy of Music will prove that different generations of artists can harmoniously collaborate, creating a musical spectacle full of emotions and surprises. The concert will be conducted by conductors Szymon Bywalec and Maciej Koczur, and the evening will be graced by the presence of Professor Marian Oslislo, who will participate in the collective improvisation 'Kalki', as well as soloist Tomasz Szczepaniak, who will be the main protagonist in the piece 'Black Box Music'. The concert will also feature the composer of 'Black Box Music', Simon Steen-Andersen, considered one of the most important figures in contemporary composition worldwide.

The evening will be filled with music that engages all the senses of the audience! It is not just a concert, but also an experiment in which the audience becomes part of the action. Special attention is drawn to 'Black Box Music' by Simon Steen-Andersen – a piece that has become one of the most frequently performed contemporary works in the world. It is a spectacular fusion of sound, theater, and visualization. The stage becomes an instrument, and the soloist – a conductor, actor, and creator of the action taking place in the titular black box. With the help of hands, props, and gestures, the performer creates a narrative displayed on a screen, which synchronizes in real time with the performance of the musicians positioned around the audience. Every gesture, even the most subtle, has its sonic equivalents. This fascinating combination of precise score, theater, and music evokes both laughter and deep reflection.

The composition by Zbigniew Rudziński 'Studium in C', as the name suggests, is based solely on the sound of 'c', but played by different instruments, in various registers, with an expanded dynamics and effects of noise and spatiality. Similar solutions are utilized in the work of Georg Friedrich Haas – 'Rondeau'. Its sounds surround the audience from all sides, thanks to the unusual arrangement of performing groups in the Concert Hall. The dynamics of this piece resemble a wave, and the colors of the instruments penetrate and connect with each other, thanks to the juxtaposition of overtones.

In the collective improvisation of the musicians and graphic artist Marian Oslislo 'Kalki', the action is realized live. The instrument is a transparent illuminated table. Under the table, there are cameras transmitting to the screen the image of objects and actions taking place on its surface. Musicians, walking around the stage, observe the screen: their instrumental parts arise in reaction to graphic events.

Funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund as part of the 'Music' program, implemented by the National Institute of Music and Dance. The project is financed under the National Recovery Plan by the European Union Next Generation EU.

The concert is part of the 12th Ał Festival of the Academy of Music in Łódź taking place in the Concert Hall of the institution (ul. Żubardzka 2a). Tickets: 50 PLN (regular) and 30 PLN (reduced) at the AM box office and on the ticket platform.

More information:
https://www.amuz.lodz.pl/index.php/pl/wydarzenia/koncerty-i-wydarzenia-zapowiedzi/2153-12-az-festiwal-2024-12-04