Mayday Artattack

Couple of very interesting events on over the long weekend:

MUSIC AND MATHEMATICS: TILING SPACE WITH MUSICAL CANONS:

"Most people believe that music and mathematics have little in common. Whilst one seems the fabric of dreams, the other is the skeleton of abstract reasoning. That both are in fact tightly linked will be shown by French composer Georges Bloch and Italian mathematician Moreno Andreatta, who are based at the interdisciplinary centre for music IRCAM in Paris. Using the rich examples of musical tiling canons, which tile the musical space in much the same way as the famous geometrical structures do in M. C. Escher's intriguing drawings, they demonstrate how much of music can be penetrated and/or inspired by mathematics - and vice versa, how musical questions can lead to interesting problems and answers in mathematics. The salon will finish with a multi-media improvisation, which combines sound and video, jazz and contemporary music."

More Info can be found here and here... The salon is supposed to feature improvisation and re-interpretations of works by Schonberg and Xenakis - now I doubt Ill make it to this as bank holidays are prime opportunities to get some serious work done, but it would be great to get a recording and hear the results.

The big gig(s) this weekend, and in a related vein is of course:

TERRY REILY - SPIRALS OF RAGTIME AND RAGA:

"Composer Terry Riley, who is one of the founding fathers of minimalism in music is celebrated next May 2007 with an Irish premiere of Chanting the Light of Foresight inspired by the eight century Ulster heroic tale “An Táin Bó Cuailnge” (the Cattle Raid of Cooley). The performances will take place in County Louth where An Táin legend is based. The weekend, entitled Terry Riley: Spirals of Ragtime and Raga features the first Irish performances by the composer. The Crash Ensemble will play one of Riley’s most celebrated works In C, which is recognised as the first great masterpiece of minimalism. There will also be an Irish premiere of Uncle Jard and Tread on the Trail with the renowned Arte Quartett from Switzerland."

Now, everyone from the Drogheda Arts Festival to the Irish times and the Louth Contemporary Music Society have got a hand in this, but I cant find a picture of the flyer anywhere online. Basically its 3 nights in St. Peter's church in Drogheda. Friday features some new compositions, Saturday is a couple of workshops and an interview, and Sunday (the one Im going to) is going to consist of a new performance of 'In C' along with the Crash Ensemble. Im told that the whole thing is to be broadcast on Irish classical radio station 'Lyric FM', and (heres hoping) it may even get podcasted.