日本語

 

The Ryogoku Art Festival is a new music festival in Ryogoku, an old part of Tokyo. Having composer/ performer, Tomomi Adachi as the artistic director of its second edition, this year’s festival will take you on a musical journey featuring two (plus one more?) grand pianos in Ryogoku Monten Hall, a tiny venue with only 50 seats.

The festival marks its opening with two works by representative artists of Fluxus—the 1960s artistic movement that shook the world. They are: Piano Piece #13 (for Nam June Paik) by George Maciunas and Sanitas #151 by Tomas Schmit.

Program A explores the unknown world with work by Josef Matthias Hauer, who systematized twelve-tone music for the first time on earth.

Program B introduces various piano pieces full of an experimental spirit, including new works commissioned to artists including a non-musician.

Program C showcases the world of “quarter-tone piano,” which is truly unique to music for two pianos.

The lineup of pianists is fulfilling, including Aki Kuroda, who is based in Milano and plays all over the world as a core pianist, the festival also assembles young talented players such as Shintaro Saegusa. In addition, Kazuoki Fujii joins Program C.

You can’t miss coming to the cozy venue to experience listening to today’s music which transcends regions and generations.

 

SCHEDULE

<Opening Event>

George Maciunas:Piano Piece #13 (for Nam June Paik) + Tomas Schmit :Sanitas #151

31 July 2016, open 12:30, start 13:00

Piano: Adachi Tomomi

This event consists of two different pieces but the same performance by nailing piano keys.

 

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<Program A> Dance in the Labyrinth – Josef Matthias Hauer

31 July 2016, open 16:30, start 17:00

Piano: Kuroda Aki, Sudo Chiharu, Hoyano Miwa, Kobayashi Yuna & Adachi Tomomi

program:

Josef Matthias Hauer:

Atonale Musik (the first part) Op.20 (1922)

Zwölftonspiel für Klavier zu vier Händen (1955)

Hausmusik für Klavier zu vier Händen (1958)

Labyrinthischer Tanz für Klavier zu vier Händen (1953)

and more

Josef Matthias Hauer is the composer who invented twelve-tone music ahead of Arnold Schönberg. This program consists of his works, featuring Zwölftonspiel (play for twelve tones). He started writing this series in1938 when Nazis had branded his music as degenerate art and had deprived him of opportunities for artistic activities. This program unveils the world of an unknown composer, who is at once a pioneer of algorithmic composition and mystic.

 

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<Program B> Two Pianos in Ryogoku

2 & 3 August 2016, open 18:30, start 19:00

Piano: Kuroda Aki, Mieda Shintaro

program:

Ute Wassermann: PianObjects for 2 pianos & live video  (commissioned work, W.P.)

Matthias Bauer: Pi (commissioned work, W.P.)

contact Gonzo: Hell of a wooden push for the 88 keys / performance piece for two pianos and two persons(commissioned work, W.P.)

Adachi Tomomi: Things seen by the right hand and the left hand (with glasses) 　(commissioned work, W.P.)

Steve Martland: from Dance Works 1,2,3

Luciano Cilio (transcription by Girolamo de Simone): Suiff (2004)

Miyake Haruna: Sutego Elegy (1973)

Luciano Chessa: Variazioni su un oggetto di scena

Chris Newman: from Sad Secrets (O So Sorry, Hoffnungsloser Himmel, The Dead Man, etc.) (1981/82)

 

This program is fully reflected by the color of the artistic director Tomomi Adachi. In addition to his new work, Adachi commissioned pieces for two pianos to three artists who are neither composer nor piano professional: a worldwide voice performer, Ute Wassermann, a double bass player and improviser, Matthias Bauer, and contact Gonzo, a group which has developed original performance taken as both fistfight and dance. The program also mixes up various sorts of piano music including works by Steve Martland, Luciano Cilio, and Haruna Miyake for two pianos, piano solo, and singing along with the piano.

 

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<Special Talk> Fuji Kazuoki talks about the Quarter-Tone Piano

6 August 2016, open 13:30, start 14:00

Talk: Fujii Kazuoki & Kuroda Aki

(no translator)

Kazuoki Fujii is a pianist who recorded Préludes dans tous les tons de l’échelle chromatique diatonisée à 13 sons, for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 22 with his teacher, Henriette Puig-Roget in 1988. This event will be a precious occasion to listen to his thought and experience on the quarter-tone piano in deep.

 

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<Program C> The World of the Quarter-Tone Piano

7 August 2016, start 14:00 & 18:00 (open 30 min.before)

Piano: Fujii Kazuoki, Kuroda Aki, Sudo Chiharu, Hoyano Miwa, Kobayashi Yuna

program:

Ivan Wyschnegradsky:

–24 Préludes dans tous les tons de l’échelle chromatique diatonisée à 13 sons, for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 22

–Etude sur le mouvements rotatoires

Charles Ives: Three Quarter-Tone pieces

Focusing around 24 Préludes dans tous les tons de l’échelle chromatique diatonisée à 13 sons, for 2 pianos in quarter tones, Op. 22, this program celebrates quarter-tone pianos by master players.

 

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Tickets:

-Opening Event: ¥1000- (programA ticket holders: ¥500)

-Single ticket for ProgramA, B or C: advance: ¥3000-, members & students: ¥2500-

-Special Talk: ¥1000- (programC ticket holders: free)

-All Performance Pass: ¥7500- (specify the date & time of programB & C)

 

Reservation & Information:

Ryogoku Monten Hall: ticket@monten.jp



*No one 6 years old and under admitted.

*ID card required for students ticket.

 

Presented by Monten Co.

Grants: Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture),  Japan Arts Counsil & Asahi Group Arts Foundation

Co-sponsor: Yamaishiya Yokin Kobo, Inc.

Cooperation: Naya Collective Ltd.