Pauline Oliveros & Miya Masaoka: Discover the beauty of Accordion & Koto
Miya Masaoka and Pauline Oliveros have made a decidedly non-every-day instrumental combination the basis of their latest project: Accordion and Koto. The album by the same name will be released on Deep Listening Records and present the beauty of various improvisations by the duo. Despite the experimental character of “Accordion Koto”, it was definitely not intended as an exercise in shock tactics, as Pauline Oliveros explained in a statement prior to the release: “Though an unlikely combination - accordion and koto - it is not so much about the instruments as about the energies of the music that comes from the intensity of listening - listening as close to "now" as possible.”, she said, “We know that our consciousness is delayed by a fraction of a second that the brain interprets as now - however the body is instantaneous in its perception. Thus the phenomena of playing and becoming conscious of what has played - been played - is a continually surprising experience in such improvisation.” Miya Masaoka, meanwhile, introduced “Accordion Koto” with both poetic and proud words: “"Listening to this recording session I am lifted to a world both evanescent and yet somehow connected to a distinct culture of music making in the 21st century."
Miya Masaoka, whose track record includes “ works for koto, laser interfaces, laptop and video”, as well as “scores for ensembles, chamber orchestras and mixed choirs”, also stressed the interrelatedness of her own work and that of her musical companion Pauline Oliveros in relation to “Accordion Koto”: “Perhaps what is necessary to create this music, and what I am trying to describe in the post-production experience harkens to the complete listening of the sonic experience-- or sonic awareness, that is, the ability to focus attention upon both environment and musical sound, a concept that Pauline had introduced in the early 1980’s” It was in these very 1980’s, of course, that Pauline Oliveros was honoured with a retrospective at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C, while the decade closed with a letter of distinction from the American Music Center.
“Accordion Koto” is slated for a release in January of 2008.
Homepage: Deep Listening Records
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Contemporary Composition, Deep Listening Records, Experimental, Japan, Miya Masaoka, News, Pauline Oliveiros, USA, composer,Partner sites
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