The York Research Database

'Piano and Other Things' was a performance and research project in 2009-10. The work included 4 new commissions, developed collaboratively to allow for a curatorial approach to the programme and to encourage the composers to work with me as an ‘extended performer’, taking into consideration the specifics of context and of my approach to pianism and performance. The resulting works pay particular attention to the scene of performance and/or use of my voice alongside piano and other sounds.

Three of the collaborations (with composers Damien Harron, Juliana Hodkinson, Edward Jessen) were specifically framed as research projects, with associated documentation; these were used to investigate the relationships between composers and performers in such projects.

For the performances, the new works were brought together with other pieces with a relationship to the central concerns: pieces by Donnacha Dennehy, Morton Feldman, Yannis Kyriakides and Alvin Lucier were also programmed. The development of the performance was funded by Arts Council England. An initial performance took place at Peninsula Arts, Plymouth in March 2009. The work was selected for Sound and Music’s “Cutting Edge” series, with a London performance (at The Warehouse) in November 2009 . Subsequent performances took place at Dartington Arts, York Spring Festival of New Music, Beaford Arts (North Devon), Ghent, ICIA Bath, Oxford Sonic Arts.