#rednoteensemble

We’re looking forward to hearing more about Red Note Ensemble’s project “New Music Makers” at Music Education Matters 2016. 

Have a look at the video below to find out more...

Upon entering the Barn, I was welcomed by the sound of the musicians tuning their instruments. In the centre was the group of instruments which included a contrabass recorder, melodica, cello and saxophone. The unexpected set up included the audience surrounding the group which automatically produced a feeling of involvement with the performance and also created a very social atmosphere. What seemed to catch most people’s attention was the very dated looking vacuum cleaner beside the instruments. First up was Lauschmann and Hammond’s ten minutes film ‘Matter in the Wrong Place’, “It is based around the idea of chaos and chance as productive strategies” revealed artist Charlie Hammond. He later went on to explain that the creation of it came about through “quick decisions” and “two people playing with materials”. The production included effective use of lighting on the silver foil backdrop which had very hypnotising qualities.

Nine musicians from the Red Note Ensemble then entered to begin the performance of ‘Inconsistent Whisper’, taking their positions, each facing a different direction. Robert Irvine (Cello) said this was to simply “add to the randomization”. The performance was led by Lauschmann who was controlling which coloured spotlight shone on which musician at the given time. Irvine explained the lighting commands to the musicians “The blue spotlight meant you are to play an excerpt from a Mozart piece... The red means to copy the dominant sound... And the green is to sustain a sound”. The musician’s talents were greatly highlighted through their improvisation skill and ability to produce music on the spot. The lighting structures stretch the ability of each instrument by urging the musicians to use different playing techniques and at some points even turn each instrument percussive. What worked so well with the structure and group of instruments was that although the texture was mostly polyphonic, each instrument could easily be singled out and heard clearly. The end of the performance was tied up by a reversal of roles: the musicians played in the darkness then abruptly stopped when the spotlights turned on. It was a truly mesmerising performance which was both a visual and aural experience.