Symposium Performance

“Transcending Differences”

Thursday 8th of September 2016 6pm.

Kunkanit Liemnam, 12 years old

The second performance evening of this Symposium will carry on our investigation of music as a bridge facilitating cultural and social integrations. If the first evening proposed juxtapositions of a variety of musical idioms in their original traditional form, this second offering will look at musical practices that aim at venturing outside the established paths. Looking at differences and assumed incompatibilities as opportunities to open up new windows for creativity rather than building walls.

The evening will use Debussy’s ‘Sonate for Harp, Viola and flute’ as a starting point. The piece, written by Debussy near the end of his life at the beginning of WW1, explores the musical potential of this unusual trio combination in a very unique way as if the composer found some sort of solace through the resolution of conflicting sonorities in music at a time of unresolvable international political divide. A century later, we seem to have come full circle again as we witness the rise of nationalist resentments in many parts of the world.
Music is more than ever needed to transcend the differences that divide people.

Tuning into the past and the present, the evening’s performances will investigate the interferences and differences that form our illusionary musical boundaries and often settle in the spaces between. Sweeping through the airwaves to discover some of the sonic possibilities still hiding behind our musical horizons.
The program will feature music by Debussy, compositions by pioneers of twentieth century music as well as pieces and improvisations freshly designed during our Symposium’s workshops interspersed with a touch of electronics and visual art.