the new musIc• newspaper no.2 october/november 1977 25c

WITH AT LEAST ONE FOOT ON THE GROUND Thankyou for your support. Hill New Music Centre elicited endeavour. Page 5 deals with the The New Music Newspaper responses from several sources. Video Show at La Trobe Uni- appears to be a success. The first This debate begins on p. 6 and versity and on page 17 Alison issue of 600 has sold out except we think it is only beginning. Richards talks about her per- for a few copies we have retained Buy the next issue for the next formance piece "Women's Work". for' archival purposes. We now episode. In the next isslie Mick Banks and feel confident enough to offer Corinne d'Cruz, recent visitors postal subscriptions and informa- In the first issue's policy from the UK, will discuss their tion about that appears on p.19. statement we omitted to say that work during their stay her-e. we intend including articles on We would like to explain just activities other than those just Also in the next issue will what a bargain you are getting for musical. This reflects the ten- be a technology special with a your 25c. Needless to say all the dencies for New Music to converge few circuits for you to copy and writing, layout, distribution and and .blur with other fields of a discussion on composing with endless legwork necessary for the cassettes. As an extra Christmas appearance of the Newspaper is bonus we have received special provided voluntarily by a large permission to print Richard David number of people, but the type- Hames' Christmas Carols. The setting and printing cost for each February/March issue we hope to single copy is approximately 70c. be a bumper issue to coincide with We decided that to .facilitate the Australian and distribution this was too high Performers Seminar to be held a price to ask and so we have here in . undertaken to raise the extra 50c per copy. The La Trobe University Reflecting the wonderful res- Union Activities Committee has ponse we have had to the News- generously provided the subsidy paper, our little publication has for the first two issues. had to expand a little more to 20 pages. Still we haven't had enough One of the most gratifying space to print everything we successes of the Newspaper is wanted to. In particular apologies that, as we had hoped, it is foster- to Carolyn Thompson and Julia ing dialogue and contributing to Anderson whose scores will now a sense of community amongst appear in the next issue. musicians working in New Music. Yes, we are talking to one another. Warren Burt Ron Nagorcka's article on Clifton Les Gilbert. KEITH HUMBLE

Piano Recital. Sept. 15. 8.15 pm mic outlet for the event seems to pronounced Bronx accent of Har- Assembly Hall, Collins St. have paid off as the Assembly Hall vey Matusow's coming from one Keith Humble performing works was almost full and the atmos- and the smooth Australian of Don by Werder, Kos, Humble and phere in the mock-antique hall Banks coming from the other. Crumb. was quite pleasant as a result. In Keith Humble's recital the shock of hearing normally obedi- The piece 'Com- ent speakers discussing the audi- For those of us that thought mentary for Piano and Two ence and the pianist was lessened the days of .the piano 'as we know Channel Tape' was written for the by the fact that the whole ritual it' are numbered, Keith Humble English Bach Festival and the of the recital had been rendered gave his second annual piano piece makes more sense when it a little less daunting by Keith's recital in the Assembly Hall on is performed in the atmosphere informal method of concert-giving. 15 September. of an orthodox concert. I saw it He introduces each piece and performed in the rather grand seems to invite the audience to So it's getting to be a tradition environment of St Johns, Smith join him in the realisation of each which hopefully will continue Square during the festival and I composition. when Keith returns from Paris and remember being very surprised the U.S.A. next year. Booking a and amused by the conversation So this time it was the piano hall in the centre of Melbourne between the two loudspeakers writing which left the lasting instead of using a secluded acade· on either side of the stage - the impression and I resented the intrusion of the speakers. But I play this a few weeks before in People were learning something was probably then in a state which the Robert Blackwood Hall of about the piano but, more than Don anticipates in his piece. I'm Monash University and there in that, they were listening to a sitting waiting for the piece to the large stage area with a superior fully-fashioned work which was start but it doesn't happen. These piano it had sounded magnificent good to hear. Whatever the level two speakers begin discussing us. - a virtuoso piece showing off the or the 'weight' of these pieces is, The comforting regular ritual of more traditional techniques of there wasn't a moment when the the recital room has been inter- writing and playing in the twen- audience was bored. rupted. tieth century. It looks to me as though most The piano reigns supreme in Keith Humble's own sonata is a of us are content to talk about Commentary. Even when the brief and concise work lasting composing with timbres, but when loudspeakers join in a section of only six minutes. The structure is it comes to listening to a work intense musical activity the voices based on sonata form. The 'ex- such as this in the traditional are made to announce the fact in a position' is fairly regular but in concert environment, albeit at a humorous way so that, even place of the normal subjects there 'lightweight' level, then our in- though we know a synthesizer can are sections of germinal material stincts are to treat it askance. As a beat a piano hands down at thirty which gradually assume a more devout member of the 'Bring back paces any day at this sort of thing, stable substance during, the pro- Ketelby and Suppe' Society I can the potency of the electronic gress of the sonata. The develop- never criticise any music for being contribution is reduced as a result. ment is a scherzo and, although 'lightweight'. There is no doubt But the fact that many of the the writing is far from the more that we must treat the music of sounds are so simple betrays their traditional methods of employing Makrocosmos as performed by origin in a very obvious way - son sonata form, it does have quite a Keith Humble with respect. of VCS2! - and the drama of the romantic feel about it. Keith calls piece is heightened by the pro· this 'sonata forming' rather than Where timbre is a dominant nounced character of those sonata' form. The sonata itself parameter of the music it cannot 'machine' sounds which are the seems more sympathetic to the be regarded in isolation and at very opposite poles from those piano - more aware of the timbral the very least it must be seen as a rich painstakingly synthesized tim- nature of the instrument even solution to a structural problem bres which rival natural sounds for though it does not venture out of on a par with the respect given to their interest and which can be its traditional resources - than pitch organisation in. a more employed quite easily in contem- any of the other peices with the conventional piece. porary compositions with great obvious exception of the last item approval from all concerned. by George Crumb. And this is why an excellent performance of Makrocosmos as In the Assembly Hall we saw a For the majority of the audi- Keith Humble gave in his recital is comment on the concert ritual ence 'Makrocosmos II' (Twelve so necessary these days. It makes that was taking place somewhere. Fantasy Pieces after the Zodiac us more aware ,of the resources Surely we don't need to be com- for Amplified Piano). by George of the traditional piano with mented on - or do we? Crumb was by far the most popu- simple addition of amplification. lar work on the programme. There's a whole worlq of soft 'Daktulophy' by Felix Werder The pieces vary in mood and sounds associated with conven- and 'Reflections' by Bozidar Kos exploit a vast range of piano tional instruments that, we hardly saw Keith Humble playing in top timbres in a very approachable ever hear. gear displaying a full range of way, but although the musical virtuoso techniques. Werder's is a structure, of many of them is Although Keith is born and dense piece of writing and the title minimal, they display a remark- bred a Melbourne man and feels literally means dexterity which able degree of good taste in their very much at home in , was displayed in plentiful amounts use of sounds which might other- he has spent most of his adult life during the performance. A Straus- wise be dismissed as mere gim- in Paris where he founded the sian theme is pulled into many micks. Centre de Musique and ran a very shapes during the piece to give successful series of concerts. Re- rather an expressionist taste to a There was no doubt that the turning to Paris will be an essential form which greatly resembles a success of these pieces owed a lot part of 'rewinding' and catching Toccata for its incessant brilliance. to the utter dedication and con- up on recent developments in centration of Keith Humble's Europe besides the obvious emo- The Kos piece had a more playing. They sounded beautiful. tional appeal of the place where defined structure. For a start it After the concert I heard little Keith learnt his craft as a musician. begins at the top of the piano's growls of 'lightweight' - "no Let's hope that we have many range and ends at the bottom. It substance" - "easy for critics to more recitals and A.C.M.E. con- builds up great pyramids of sound write about" (which is true certs to look forward to in the decorated by lyrical passages and incidentally) - but during the future. isolated notes in the upper regis- concert there was a hushed air of ter. Some of us had heard Keith studied concentration in the hall. Keith Winter, 9 October, 1977. 'dedication and concentration sounding beautiful' hours devoted both to the design THE TIME MACHINE and preparation of program con- In July 1976 I was appointed to composers around the world. We tent. It was estimated, for exam- the staff of The Victorian College have tended to specialise in the ple, that well over thirty hours of of the Arts to design and establish realisation of graphic and other actual rehearsal was given to the courses in contemporary music forms of indeterminate scores, preparation of 'L'Apres-Midi du language and performance and although by no means to the Dracoula'. generally to direct both the initial exclusion of other forms of focus and the continuing develop- contemporary expression. "the musical gestures were ment of post-1950 music within delicately executed and they the College. Of first priority was "Missed the concert but heard created an atmosphere of the establishment of a contem- a tape later of Richard Meale's elusiveness and mystery. " porary music performing ensemble Interiors / Exteriors performed Keith Winter in the Australian which, it was thought, could by the Victorian Time Machine examine in as practical a way as directed by Richard Hames. We have recently commissioned possible, the various technical, Electrifying! for performance in 1978/79.new compositional and performing Warren Burt in New Music works from , problems exposed during the Newspaper James Fulkerson, Richard David study and analysis of repertoire. Hames, Bill Fontana, Will Eisma, It was intended from the very The constitution of the Time Jo Kondo and Robert Saxton. start that this ensemble would Machine, which is a variable one, It is hoped that future plans will work towards concert perfor- able to draw at anyone time from permit interstate and overseas mance of a professional nature a nucleus of specially selected appearances, commercial publica- and within a matter of weeks we players, singers, actors, dancers tion of recordings and scores, and had realised our first project - a and technicians, demonstrates our the establishment of an annual music-theatre interpretation of strong commitment to works of a new music seminar; indeed at the Robert Moran's graphical score, multi-dimensional nature. The time of this article going to press "L'Apres-Midi du Dracoula." quality of our product is, I hope, several of these projects are well ensured both though the severe under way. "it turned out to be a good fun audition/training scheme imposed piece with Dada istic overtones upon prospective players; the utili- A brochure listing an extensive and as music-theatre goes, a sation from time to time of guest guide to 'repertoire-in-rehearsal' parody of a Kagel type adver- professional artists, (in 1977 these during the coming season is avail- tisement for musical pantyhose. were Peter Clinch, Graham Hair, able from The Victorian College Felix Werder in The Age. Laurie Whiffin, Bill Fontana, Nan of the Arts. 234 St Kilda Road, Hassall and James Fulkerson who Melbourne. Tel: 62-5061. The The first performance of this is to return again to Melbourne Time Machine is now available for work was given in the Victorian next year as Research Fellow in concert bookings, new music splendour of the Assembly Hall in Composition and -in- workshops, and short-term resi- Collins Street to a largely bewil- Residence at the Victorian College dencies. dered but enthusiastic audience. of the Arts) and, last but not Since then we have recorded the least, the extraordinary number of piece and it has been broadcast many times both in Australia and by the major European Broad- casting services. By this time we paul chihara branches had named ourselves the Victorian phillip corner sang-teh Time Machine and the reputation bill fontana wave/spiral *** of the ensemble started to james fulkerson mobiles and loops strengthen considerably. * co-ordinative systems no. 2 * "impeccably presented and pro- film for fulkerson * fessionally performed . . . it is music for brass instruments ii * not often that we are treated to co-ordinative systems no. 4 *** such virtuosity. " jon gibson multiples * Stephen Jones in Dilletante robert moran elegant journey * l'apres-midi du dracoula * Our official policy has been to richard meale interiors-exteriors introduce to Australian audiences plateau the latest music-theatre and multi- terry riley ...... in c media works of the international tomasz sikorski no title * avant"garde, and to encourage new concepts and modes of expression john cage - musicircus * through the commissioning and alvin lucier. chambers * imaginative presentation of such richard hames monody for dufay. *** pieces. The already quite exten- a bell ringing in the empty sky * sive repertoire of the group, mauricio kagel. musik fur renaissance-instrumente * much of it written during the barry conyngham mirror-images *** past ten years or so, is being peter maxwell davies fantasia and two pavans continually renewed and enlarged through an unusually close liaison indicates a world premiere performance with interested publishers and *** * indicates first performance in Australia. VIDEO SPECTRUM ELEVANT FRESH AIR two concerts as part Students from LaTrobe University Sept. 12. 1.15 p.m. Melba Hall, Melbourne University. of a week of itnCiges "Devertivements for a Pianist" written. and performed by Les Gilbert. came when he was submerged "Act on Action" written and completely by a black cloth with performed by Rob Langworthy. Video Concerts white stripes, after which he Sept. 13 and 20. 8 pm. emerged in a "nude of the 20th A series of lunchtime concerts La Trobe University Union Hall. century" costume - part of his devoted to local student com- Works by Jones, Burt, Viola, body covered in bits of differ- posers performing their own work Mann, Randall and Bendinelli ently textured black cloth. Thru is a relevant breath of freshair. performed by the above plus Kira all this, Frank kept switching As a result, energy and commit- Perov and Malcohn Ellis. monitors so that the prerecorded ment were the driving forces in tape appeared on I; II appeared this concert. by Les Gilbert and on III, etc. etc. Sometimes the Robert Langworthy. As part of the Video Spectrum rhythm of the switching was Show at the La Trobe Uni Union, quite ecstatic. This was all accom- Les's excellent pianistic tech- there were 2 concerts which panied by an incredibly loud nique never erred in charming the utilized video installations as an soundtrack from which Robert minimal melodic material which integral part of the performance. took his cues. Quite complex and very slowly escaped the persis- The pieces were: lovely. My only complaint is its tent 5 beat ground. Gradual pop-oriented theatricality, but phase pieces have been with us Tai Chi - by Stephen Jones - then again, I'm a sissy~bourgeois for some time but this one was in which 2 screens - a large colour effete minimalist, so there. unquestionably Les's. The repeti- projector and a smaller black and tion of tonics and· fifths estab- white monitor displayed different Running Accordian II by lished themselves as air-borne tapes revealing various facets of Warren Burt, Bill Viola and Steve platitudes, gently resonant over modified and unmodified Tai Chi Jones. I played loops derived from long periods of tirne. movement. a .Cleo Laine song on the accor- dian and recorded these on 4 Rob's electronic tape piece was Information by Christopher cassette loop players. These, plac- evocative stimulus for his dance Mann. The poet read his poems in ed at the. 4 points of the compass, responses truly 'acting on the a dead pan, condescending, intimi- provided me with musical refer- action'. With clearly articulated datory manner. As contrast and ents and an outline within which gestures he discovered the large opposition, 3 camera operators to first, walk in circles, later run chalked circle. At times his style and a mixer/switcher made lyrical faster and faster until I was was reminiscent of martial arts abstractions from facets of his whirling in the centre until I and oriental krishna-style antics, action. collapsed, still playing chords in an aesthetically pleasing combina- tion of creativity and discipline. harmony with the loops. While I UntitlEid by Robert Randall and Was doing this, fOUf. cameras Both pieces were ongoing, con- Frank Bendinelli. This one is (midway between the cassettes) taining a great deal of substance complicated. Robert lay on a focused on me. With Steve Jones and were sensitively handled. An cloth on the floor, wearing only on the switcher, sometimes 4 impressive engaging concert. orange briefs. He was displayed on sequential images were shown 3 live monitors, thusly: ("following" me around the cir- RosBandt cle), sometimes all 4 images were superimposed (for a merry-go- round of identical accordianists), until my collapse, when a montage of dying swans (me) concluded the piec~.

Though there were hassles A fourth monitor, to the left of aplenty during the show, the I, played a tape of Robert doing gentle feeling of love shared by a series of movements, which all the participants came to a movements he did live in rough culmination on Friday night when sync with the video tape. we spontaneously formed a chorus singing, quietly, sustainedhar- As he moved, he revealed the monics to Stephen Jones elect- white backcloth was made of ronic drone accompaniment to many strips of brightly coloured Tai Chi. cloth which he proceeded to festoon himself with. Climax. DID NAGORCKA REALLY GO THAT FAR OUT ON A LIMB? AND ... DOES CHINA REALLY PRODUCE BARREN ARTISTS? From: Dr. Richard David Hames, - and any system which attempts cation is a commodity - we all M.A. Ph.D. Director of Contem- to change fundamentally this state know that music is a huge indus- porary Music, Victorian College of of affairs is bound for self- try flogging the "inherent creative the Arts. destruction in the long term, at impulse" - what the fuck. A least without reciprocal social "communal" "must" has nothing Sir, change. to do with footnotes! I am delighted that Mr Nagorcka "after having searched unsuccess- lam Definitions (do "both perfor- fully for a long time" has been Yours faithfully, mers" make a state?). Y see, the able to find a suitable context for Richard David Hames use of analysis is that it" is alien- his own music. But for him to (bourgeois composer) ating - that's why 'an audience assert complacently that all music ain't on - it's not enough (ob- belongs within this self-imposed visouly) to "remind people that limbo is both naive and reckless. people are in chains" - they've Throughout the history of man's A LETTER TO got to hate you for it - and here I search for truth it has fallen to the RON NAGORCKA FROM get into strife - they've got to individual artist to search for his CHRISTOPHER MANN hate you because the reminding own identity in relation to his has to be local, coz abstracts - work and to his society. It is Nagorcka - ok, to start some- nouns - are well-formed informa- entirely presumptuous for Mr where near the end - "to assert tion - stuff that don't mean. No, Nagorcka to suggest that anyone life expertly." ~ you gotta be I'm not trying to replace artist as man has found a formula to which kiddin - C19th - especially after hero by artist as anti-hero - but all musicians should aspire in a somewhat twee put down of the violence of accuracy. order to provide evidence of their other "romantic elitist concepts". relevance to society. Indeed it is Culture schmultzer have you read Courtesy of entepreneurs it's precisely this obstinate and short- that one about Gudinski being a not intellectuals that own the sighted attitude, together with its counter culture vulture! Cultural dialectic, it's not the punks that application in the context of statements are those (or any) own romanticism, but it is capital various socio-political doctrines, commodities - ("good")? "sound that owns the news - as well as that have produced such barren production" - you've made the the conceptual copyright on all art and artists in contemporary same mistake - if you're doing other drama - . . and who are Russia and China. pieces, work, and trying to have these dealers that sell duds to the some control over distribution and changers? and what but a defini- His condemnation too of the not therefore be alienated from tion bothers to ask? To translate so-called "bourgeois and elitist" the product (audience?) that pro- this - claim it as meaningful, a concepts of the twentieth cen- duced must be a reflexive analy- figure of speech - is to swap the tury avant-garde, and his sweeping sis (not a statement) and it's an exercise for the prop, to wait. generalisations regarding "har- advantage to be accurate (before monic gimmickry" and such, are I get shot down by snide refer- Overheardina pub in Meningie: nbt only .totally misplaced but ences to efficiency of exploitation "but there was never one word incorrect and should be regarded just think about the property of said about itinerant . . there's slightly with the contempt they contingency .. cheap argument .. also the indefinite article .. there's deserve, short circuit). The alienation of one, how can it mean two? .. the gimmickry of time and inter- there's no point in going into Face the facts Mr Nagorcka: all val - by the way, ideals pay! - i correspondence. " worthwhile art is inevitably elitist is every excuse (and others). -yours even more so than mine! Causality is a commodity. Reifi- or it can't be teacups? a dinky requiem for a conservative movement, and as they say thru history - 'if it moves shoot it, if it don't cut it down'. Excuses for survival being reformist bad taste the only spread is a suffix of changes - ponderosity made messy 'working together' is either a pastime or ex- ploitation - advertisements for definition - pieces - can only be tauto- logies of glass liners; - 'performance' as peddling clap to a wet check of one liners positivism - the pockets of definition - a line on takes sloppy dilettantes twee punk.: pink issues aint on I bread aint spotty I but don't piss in the cupboard con the spelling off v an ad rip off a wing e today cops n robbers of the palet pull off a prefix cream the terms of r & r A LETTER TO CHRISTOPHER up your ad MANN FROM WARREN BURT a bummer of sorts jack - jus a tic f umpies larder I th 01 dunny knock fed up n tidy trying t flog context t bars a smacked down dicky then .. OK - to - to get - to get a coz with the lot please mister with- histior aint nothin but a blow job th funny thing about tautologies is that they are surprising I'm surprised at you! After a flunkey of bothering railing at Nagorcka about 19th history is a shoe that's the wrong size Century concepts, you blow it just cluttery tongued - my, what a moot point as badly. apologies : the story of a grammatical value tongue raker to the wakes An audience ain't on because words & why not - a map of mistakes that sort of division of labour is nouns are the small change of cliches I truisms I tautologies 19th C. and alienating by its very - cross outthat which need not apply definition (audience = passive addictions are the states of play recipient = alienation does not there is enough in a word to keep a cliche happy for years equal active recipient). gouty & dumps to scab th buck standaro : a dole broker t shit Making them hate you for it is . a jingoist t dates just as bad as making 'em love you blinks as eye burps pickled in envy for it. blank hanker hood home t tab conpunction with substances of file Dialectics, arguments, disagree- t deed thwick in all it's story ment, discussions is dead. We must corrugate some distempered cause - packet of hits opt OUT of that one which breeds a comfort pall on literacy a tinkered lick only more etc, and into one of t push sticky mounts a further is useful people working together. (Keeping t swap vain f traitor is astub tongued sentence ourselves constantly involved in sugar the couching in quotes stays but the summons activities which help us see things a) not me big clearly.) or) say so.

FICTION FRICTION FRACTION FACTION FASHION FISSION FRICTION FRACTION FACTION FASHION FISSION FICTION FRACTION FACTION FASHION FISSION FICTION FRICTION FACTION FASHION FISSION FICTION FRICTION FRACTION FASHION FISSION FICTION FRICTION FRACTION FASHION FISSION FICTION FRICTION FRACTION FASHION FISSION real hot jazz with cool vegies PRESSING & BROWN cafe's very ownvitamiser which explorative, and in their refusal Jeff Pressing and Brian Brown had· to get into the act by pro- to be confined to traditional Sept. 22. 6.30 pm. viding not only a useful recurrent gestures. What Jazz seems to Coconut's Cafe, La Trobe Univer- motif, but one of those artistic possess, which is not so apparent sity. accidents which brought one in other new musics, is a genuine bracket gracefully to a close; zest for life, an unconquerable and Jeff's lyrical piano solo. optimism and a love for the If there are still some people (Enough of delicious recipes and singable. Even such an artist as who studiously draw boundaries their ingredients!) Meredith Monk appears to suc- between so-called Modern Jazz, cumb to a private, introverted and so-called New Music, the No improvisation is ever entire- form of expression that is daunt- performance of Brian Brown and ly successful: in the words of vibes ing to all but the few. This is not Jeff Pressing on September 22nd player Lionel Hampton to a necessarily to be taken as an proved more than an adequate shocked protege, " . . . I only adverse criticism. New Music, in refutation of just such an idea. I count the right notes." Friday order to be such, must remain stand to be corrected in suggest- night was no different, but did at firmly within its own time, and ing that these two very capable least 'succeed' in generating a very must therefore raise issues of musicians make an elegant mix of immediate atmosphere, and it did importance to contemporary the adventurous Miles Davis, and 'successfully' overcome the dis- society. What wonder then that of many other stylists all reaching tance between superstar and ador- exponents of the new music out of restrictive traditions. ing public. That the· performers tend towards a pessimistic frame knew their instruments, and that of mind well illustrated by the Friday night was in most cases their time sense. was impeccable rankling 'angst' of much of serial - and in the best sense of the was never in doubt. What did pose music. expression - sounds for the ears! an obstacle,· however, was the From the very first phrase, it was nature of improvisation. itself: Jazz musicians and composers, obvious that the diners-by-candle- the unexpected; the very real however, while adopting serial light at La Trobe's Coconuts problem, as much sociological as techniques, never seem to have Cafe were to be treated to an musical, of making an adequate forsaken the optimism inherent in hour, not of munchy musak, but synthesis of two imaginations. It is even the most melancholy Blues. of two essentially musical iden- a tribute to their musicianship As witness to this, Jeff Pressing tities determined to have their that, when an idea was not pro- and Brian Brown did indulge say, and to say it if necessary at perly circulating among the themselves over the threshold of slightly more than comfortable players, one would bow out for a pain - but only for a moment at sound levels. time and visibly search for some a time. Their message in each new way of complementing his case was an enthusiasm for the In that short space of time we partner. Here were· two people unusual, for the unexpected - for savoured mel1lorable helpings of creating a sound environment the vivacious: small sacrifice, then, contemporary vocal techniques; which suggested a much larger the gasps of vegetarians intent on electronic improvisations; sound ensemble - and yet. with· the music-to-midnight escapism. poetry ~ intoned by a very 'cool' flexibility to adjust to each new Jeff Pressing - keyboard explora- development. The performance of Friday tions - which gave to the familiar night was divided into two brack- electric piano the shimmering There were, as always, excep- ets, totalling about an hour's quality of a glockenspiel - and tions to this general rule. There playing. As a way of indicating much more besides which defy were 'wrong' choices of instru- their indifference to custom, the ready-made categories. True to the ment;. momentary tdisorieritatioh' musicians spent. a relaxing half- spirit of contemporary improvi- due to some sudden transition in hour-or-more in between 'spots', sation the players shared between the music; events which seemed chatting with the audience, which them a variety of instruments, extended beyond their value to contained many of their acquain- including tuned cowbells, flutes, the improvisation; surrenderings tances. When it seemed the 'right' saxophones, AKS Synthesiser, to virtuosity for its own sake or time - that is when they felt large claves and keyboards, as a basis for searching - in short, prepared to, and the listener- demonstrating on each a pleasing all the usual shortcomings (and eaters appeared sufficiently settled, and, at moments, stunning virtu- shocks-how-lovely!) we associate they began the second bracket. osity. with contemporary improvisation. As the performance ended there To the sterility of a score and its were no appeals for 'more'. The Highlights of the evening for me tendency to circumvent the spon- people were fulfilled and the were the flute duo which, even taneity of performers we must, musicians, by way of appreciation, had it been actually scored, could nevertheless, prefer such 'disad- quietly content. hardly have been more unified vantages'. (some written music had been All that really could be added prepared, in case the improvisa- I implied earlier that Modern were the words of Brian Brown: tion did not flow as well as Jazz and New Music were almost "Thank-you for supporting Jazz". planned, but it was never neces- synonymous, . at least in their sary to make use ·of it); the shared characteristic of being THE COMPOSER'S COLLECTIVE

The Composers Collective is a loosely structured music written and performed by the collec- group of young composers and musicians who tive and then to take this programme to tertiary are institutions via the student unions. writing playing this has been realised and two performances have involved in new music. already happened. One at RUSDEN STATE COLLEGE and the other at LA TROBE the collective realises that new music involves many areas:- THE NEXT PERFORMANCE will be at the Guild music theatre Theatre, Union House, Melb. UnL at 1.10 on electronic music Tuesday, 18th October. There will be another jazz at RMIT whose date has to be decided and as well as "conventional" systems and Monash Uni performance has yet to be final- involvement in other art forms such as ised. Dates for these can be found by con- dance tacting unions involved or looking out for video posters. film The Programme that is being presented is as follows: the collective is "loose" to enable flexibility of 1. "Sun" for piano solo by Ken Guntar involvement 2. "Little Suite for flute and piano" by and to breakaway Robert Smallwood from as much of the rigidity that institutiona- 3. "On a Rhythm" for 10 percussionists by lized music has collected. Greg Riddell also it enables work- 4. "Piece for Wine Glasses" by Chris Wyatt ing together to be easier and enjoyable 5. "Lament for Benjamin Britten" for solo and the ease and joy clarinet by Alan Stevenson injects added vitality and energy 6. "Filtered music for flute and piaho" by Evan Duggan the collective has come together primarily to provide 7. " ... TWo" a music theatre piece by Ken a platform for performance of the music and Guntar. ideas of its members Also to After this initial setting up energy has been generated contact among its members to keep the collective going communicate and to attract others to become involved. There discuss were tentative steps at first but much of the deal-ing as much as possible with Aust- caution has now evaporated. ralian music The next step the collective is doing after the con- the collective has about twelve members at the certs is to go away to a farm to present moment but the number will fluctuate talk depending on time, commitment and involve- play music ment play enjoy the collective has no aims other than the wishes of whatever its members and to find what the next step will be.

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Someday we may live in a In its most basic form it means have become familiar and mean- society in which the "artist" as that wherever you are - if your ingful. If the ambience of any- such is unnecessary. Not because mind and ears are open - the where has never been more than a repressiye totalitarian state did sounds going on around you will noise to someone, maybe count- not allow creativity but because seem worth listening to. As the less tape notated examples will the "average person" had learned listening becomes a more normal plant some patterns. to regard his own sensibility as activity one will have less and less being significant. need for a consumer oriented "listening centres" started out muzak issuing from a radio or a as being a private meditative The implication of this VISIon record player. Sounds which had musical process that could be of the future calls into question previously been sources of irrita- realized under any conditions. not only the entire significance tion such as the continuous drone of the "artist" in western society of a refrigerator motor will now but of all the economic, political have interesting harmonics that and social structures in which we change in subtle ways as you · ... find a continuous sound live. slowly move your head around. process in your environment to use as a listening centre .... A statement made recently by Listening experiences of this the Australian Minister for type have considerable philoso- · ... listen to all the sound Defence - Mr Killen - is sympto- phic importance for me, since by events of that place in relation matic of the aesthetic wasteland definition I am a composer. It's to the centring process .... in which many of our contem- as though whatever I really start poraries live - listening to becomes a com- · ... repeat this listening pro- position - on this basis anyone cess at different times with "anyone in the country who can be their own composer. It's different centres .... does anything for any reason a matter of learning to value one's other than profit is either a own perception, which in terms maniac or a· potential bank- of the history of western music rupt" ~ seems hard to do - since it is a More recently "listening history of rare and gifted indi- centres" has grown beyond being What would be revolutionary viduals. a private meditation into having about a society in which it was aspects of public or group medita- normal for people to value their The portable tape recorder is a tion and performance music. The perceptions, ideas etc - is that significant medium for notating form generating aspect of what is human motivation would be' dra- listening experiences. A few years here a "centre" is not at all new matically altered. It 'would no ago I started carrying around a to the history of music. Any longer be normal for most people high quality miniature tape re- music that ever used a tonality to be motivated by profit and corder with me wherever I went or a drone or·a repeating rhythmic power. - so as to make tape recorder pattern as a way of expressing the notations of listening a "serious" integration of seemingly individual As a composer living and part of my work. Because of the events is kindred to "listening working in a society very diff- present sophistication of the centres". What seems to be unique erent from the utopia I wish- microphone/recorder technology to "listening centres" is its con- fully hope for - I would like to one can in fact make recordings cern for music as function of a suggest an aesthetic philosophy of everything one is hearing - centred consciousness existing in which is the basis of my work - the implications are staggering - it the everyday world. Thus my and is hopefully a step towards is possible to notate one's listen- answer to the question "what is the utopian revolution just des- ing - and to make it available to music?" is that you and I are at cribed: many other people - not out of any given moment and at this a desire to discourage people from "musical moment" the whole that the most creative of doing it themselves but to widen world of sounds around us is musical activities is listening - a vocabulary. People listen to transformed. equal in aesthetic value to particular types of music because composing. the patterns of a particular type 'SELF IMAGES' '!ri?e Rite' was composed by 'S CO" " JulIa III so far as she set-up and 'NC· ERT defined the. situatio? In ~his W O MEN , each woman III the pIece devIsed her own set of sounds to repeat Concert by the Women's Collec- There were seven overlapping in saying prices and commodities tive. sections in 'Stones': the opening for sale from a brochure. These Sept. 20. 1 pm. section being the result of a sets turned out to be very varied La Trobe University Union Hall. situation, whereby the concert and were allIusing, being mimicy Works by the Women's Collective was scheduled to begin at 1.00 pm ,of salesladies. Individual voices and Julia Anderson performed by and SOmeof the performers could CallIe across well in the perfor- the Women's Collective and the not be there since they had mance, beginning with fragments Contemporary Dance Ensemble. classes until 1.00 - hence, the and ending in a continuous person who arrived first was to garble. During 'Self Images' - the begin a slow regular tap which women's concert was given by the was joined by the others as they 'Home Made Jamm' the final women's collective. Those partak- arrived. The second section piece was performed with women ing were Joan Lawrence, Julia branched out from this tap by of the Contemporary Dance En- Anderson, Tina Westaway, Lyn varying it rhythimically. Our in- semble and Lyn, Joan, Julia, Tina Witney, Sylvia O'Toole, Angela stinct for playing games came out and Sylvia making the music. This Leuchan, Kristina Thorburne, in "Knuckles", the third section. was a collectively improvised Caroline Healy, Maureen McKenry, There followed 'Silence', Explora- piece based on individual inter- Julie Doyle and Carmel Healy. tory improvisation of the 'musical' pretation of an initial dance attributions of stones, a klangfar- phrase on musical gesture. The The first two pieces 'Stones' benmelodie, which was eventually first gesture was a real dance and 'Vocal Additions l' which broken as performers in 'Vocal gesture, which the musicians took were designed to follow one into Additions' collected their scores. a while to come to grips with - the other, were presented with as Warren said, had it been simply the performers sitting in a circle 'Vocal Additions l' by Julia walking we probably would have on the floor. Anderson consisted of each per- been off right away. Nevertheless, fomer independently proceeding some marvellous combinations of 'Stones' evolved through the through their scores thus 1, 12, dance and music resulted includ- group of women improvising to- 123, 1234 ... all the way up to ing vocal sounds. The second gether with stones as the instru- 51. This was an extremely de- event based on a gesture by Lyn ments of music-making. It seemed manding piece ,to perform. It on flute, was less restrained and a challenge to create a structure seemed to grow' as the clear but included some interesting per- which would enhance the indivi- rapid enunciation' of female vocal cussive work. Musicians hope to dual and varied qualities of each sounds accumulated in a sustained work further with the dancers. stone. Those who partook were high energy performance (for enthusiastic and everyone's ideas fifteen minutes!). The notation Carol Baxter recorded became intricately bound together was simple and explicit and it whole concert on video. in a group piece, which was facilitated almost immediate flu- marvellous to be a part of. ency. THE NEW AUDIENCE SERIES I think the aim when we people 150 to 200 who will come started was to start the long road · . . the thing that was surprising back. By that I mean that contem- · .. for too long know the was the fact that very quickly porary music has moved so far policy of confrontation has been there seemed to be a group feeling from "the people" that either all the norm ... · . . a feeling that they were an composers should just turn 'round audience with a common interest, and give up, opt out, or what have · .. we must try a little love, not blahh I'm sitting here, enter- you, which many have done, or flattery and above all faith ... tain me, or I dare you to make me we must reach out, entice, fight think or react or walk out ... for a hearing ... The New Audience series is to me a middle ground, based on the ... next year? ... yes there will ... for many years now I have personality of those who are be a next year . . . female com- voiced violent disagreement with Australian music . . . we are not posers even . . . and some special those who have on the one hand trying to break new ground ... performer guests from overseas said that you can't sell new it's a kind of coalition of all those and interstate. music, the prime offender being people who want to listen but the ABC programmers and pub- don't like the party lines being ... one last word . . . you bet licity people (though heavens put forward ... or don't under- · .. turn off your F.M, put down knows how they explain the stand enough to realise there are your latest overseas record and explosion under Hopkins). Then party lines ... join the new Audience meet there are those who say the solu- some composers and some people tion is alternative music systems · .. I was not amazed that it who want to listen together ... which while I understand and was a success, which it was, we sympathise with I can't help seem to have a set number of A map fCfl The ASHES of FESTIVAL (using q 5m&!.L('Ortion of S~dne~ Hqt'bout')

ON WATER ~ -(!) peMbrtrl4nce ill ird,. sN:

ON LAND ------1.atld r-ou.te for l

The Ashes of Sydney Festival Organised entirely from a pub- for every eventuality, ego Jacqui March 6, 5.30 - 8.30 pm lic telephone, and in the same Carroll had petty cash for taxi Sydney Harbour. spirit as one organises a sports fares and back up transport in case Organised by Greg Schiemer. match, a picnic or a woolshed of emergency. Above all it meant Performed by a cast of thousands. dance, it was billed as a concert keeping a captive audience occu- of Music and Dance on water. It pied - and not just captive. It 4 Hudson Ave, was run on a lo-cholestorol involved having catering on board Port Macquarie, 2444 budget that could be funded by - someone actually came just for 6 October, 1977 the spectators. the .Malaysian Curry. During the Dear Warren, land manoeuvre test runs I would Thanks for the telegram. I can't Sydney Harbour - for those have travelled at least five hundred find any photographs at all of the who don't know it - is a very long kilometres. The best response to Ferry Concert. I only had a few winding river with numerous bays our attempts to get free advertis- and these have been lost since my and peninsulas, and a few bridges ing was from 2JJ and the timing last move. The only graphic and islands. We decided to put the of this left us at the mercy of the documentation was done on audience aboard the ferry and weather. Yet even though it video-tape. Do you still have a have a series of performances, rained for several days up until a copy of Jilba's tape that I gave mainly around the foreshores, but few hours before the start of the you? Anyway it doesn't really linked by other items on board. event we still had 120 people on matter that a few photographs A few performances on the shore board plus a dozen or so per- are missing, when. a summary of were to be repeated several miles formers. the ideas and problems could apart and a military-type land still generate some ideas among manoeuvre was planned to move The order of the performances other people. performers (including mermaids was: complete with harp!) to various The intention to have a concert locations within a given time. Beginning at 5.30 pm Water- on a ferry came to me during my front Decor (1) by Jacqui Carroll, student days from 1969-72 when The preparation for the concert the mermaids giving a farewell I lived on the foreshore of Sydney included organising a suitably recital as the boat departs from Harbour at Drummoyne. The idea priced and sized ferry and lining Circular Quay. was probably inspired by the up performances together with an frequent pop and jazz concepts estimate of their duration. It In transit to the next perfor- that were held on the harbour. meant knowing whether the tide mance, Blind Demon Pledge sings would be favourable at a certain five political songs (2) on board, The harbour cruise event was a time and place, whether the per- (Warren Burt) quite relevant. Boat follow up to a previous concert formance could take place in day- passes under Sydney Harbour in which several people in the light or whether artificial lighting Bridge. performing arts (including Jacqui could be provided or whether a Carroll, Helen Herbertson, John performance could be staged un- Boat enters Johnsons Bay. On Salisbury, Margret Roadknight, affected by changes in wind foreshore, four wind players are Hartley Newnham, Tony Mayd- conditions (eg. Bill Fontana's waiting. Performance of Bill Fon- well, Roger Frampton, Geoff piece for Boat Horn and wind tana's piece for Boat Horn and Collins, Michelle Smith, Carl Vine instruments). It involved having wind players (3). Boat leaves for & others) helped me to make sure performance venues at suitable Darling St. Wharf, and berths I actually had an opportunity to distances apart allowing time for waiting to pick up wind players. hear a work I wrote six years the performers moving on land to On board a toy piano interlude earlier. This concert was funded co-ordinate with the cruise. It and another political song (4) by by Jacqui Carroll and myself - meant liaising with the captain, Warren Burt diverts attention to the tune of about $500 - and virtually telling him how and from pause. Meanwhile Mermaids we decided to pay ourselves a where to drive his boat, switch of Jacqui Carroll's Waterfront doubtful tribute by calling the engines on and off and where to Decor are in transit by land to program the Ashes of Sydney pick up the next performance. Long Nose Point. (Sept. 19th, 1976). The rehearsals involved had to be done with an extra consideration Boat leaves Darling St. Wharf. When the Sydney Festival put - the timing of the land maneou- Margret Roadknight sings accom- on an extravaganza modelled on vres (which had to be estimated panied by G.S. on banjo (5). what any other city might do, the for worst case conditions). It Song ends just as boat approaches opportunity was too good to miss. involved having alternative moves Long Nose Point. (cont. next page) Once again Waterfront Decor the waterfront residence of Arthur trio by Carl Vine (22). Vocal (6). Attention diverted to shore. Spring. Event staged by Martin improvisation also by Warren Wesley-Smith, Adrian Keenan, Burt (23). Meanwhile Car Vine sets up and other members of Watt from Drone Piece (7) on his own elec- the Conservatorium. Film made Steve Dunstan's piece on South tronic instruments. Piece con- under water by George Gittoes, Steyne on his own electronic tinues in transit past Cockatoo and simultaneously, George in the instruments. (24). Warren Burt Island with a few further visual harbour wearing a wet suit in a does Stalin Speeches as boat intrusions from the shore as the shark proof net sings underwater departs. (25). boat cruises past Elkington Park, into a hydrophone', which is and the mermaids make yet input to the electronic music Boat heads to Ball's Head to another appearance, on a small system operated by Watt. (17). begin performance of Nan Hassalls wharf (8) and on a cliff (9). Flag dance (26). (cf. note by Nan). While the boat is in transit Jacqui Boat continued on return jour- (This performance stretches on Carroll's Mermaids are in transit ney. Marg Roadknight sings again shore for about 1Vz miles.) Light- and Bruce Keller and Steve (18). Marjorie plays first public ing done with marine flares. Champion are driving on land to performance of my piano piece Huntley's Point. Iconophony I (on harp) (19). Ernie Gallagher plays 1812 Boat heads past Cockatoo Island, Overture on the piano as boat Carl Vine's Drone piece ends as picking a small boat in the har- heads toward Opera House (27). boat approaches Huntley's Point. bour on which a silent perform- Simulates Cannons by saying Darkness falls and the stage lamps ance is staged. Conceived by Bruce "Bang". are .then used to light on shore Keller who stands at the head of performances. Bruce Keller & Co the boat in a monk's habit com- Warren Burt & G.S. give reprise haven't arrived so boat pauses plete with cowl, holding a lantern, performance of W,B's song "Great under Gladesville Bridge with its the boat is rowed by a figure with Art", with a surprise contribution half-mile concrete arch, sustaining an asses head (John Nobbo) from magician Bob Peacock (28). some long boat horn sounds (10). and at the rear, the bride with her (The echos are quite long with a veil flowing twelve feet into the Boat berths at Circular Quay. slow decay.) The boat then spots water! (Jacqui Carroll) (20). the two performers on Huntley's What the concert meant was Pt. and berths to take them on Boat approaches Long Nose Pt. not adequately summed up by board. The audience then performing (in those critics who came. Jill darkness on board) a Popping Sykes came closest by saying it Performance in transit past piece by G.S. (21). Steve Dunstan oscillated "between boredom and Henley towards Abbotsford, Carl & Phil Connor alight for a per- hyper-activity." David Ahern had Vine (ocarina) and G.S. (banjo) formance on the wreck of the reservations about the casual com- (11), plus a tape of Nick Lyons South Steyne, and old ferry binations of the serious and the (12). Then two Pierrot characters destroyed by fire. foolish in the program. who just boarded ship begin their poetry readings (13) which carries Performance in transit to South However what I think it meant on through tea. Deliberately the Steyne, by Carl Vine, Anthea - the performing arts situation poems consisted of appalling verse Stutchbury & G.S., of an Ocarina among the people trying to & doggerel. establish themselves in that field doesn't have to be survival of the Meanwhile boat passes more Dear Greg, fittest. People can be made to Waterfront Decor (14) on Dick St. The simplest way I can think of contribute without a sense of Wharf in Henley, this time in spot doing this piece follows. The rivalry. Ideas, not funding, is the light & the Mermaids make their rehearsal with Lib went really most necessary ingredient for a final appearance. well last night and the flares are new deal for the performing arts no problem. I can't see that it's in Australia. This is the way to Tea is served while the boat possible to have Mark on the ferry interest the public. Funding is moored off Abbosford at Werrell for 4 hours with no place to sleep necessary only for the survival Reserve. As after dinner music . . . so it might be best if I just of the performing participants and Bill Fontana's piece for Japanese come to McMahon's Point near their work. But a stimulating idea han dbells and portable sine - the appointed time to do the with a little effort can become wave oscillators performed on performance. I can leave Mark public property. board in darkness.(15) with my mother & Eva can hold the flare for me. This means Look, that about sums it up. Boat leaves Abbotsford. Marg Libby will be on, the boat. Here is Enclosed is a map of the concert. Roadknight sings with accompani- the map in order of the piece. I hope it offsets the verbal weight ment from Nick Lyons, Steve I would really love to be picked of this letter. Dunstan, Carl Vine and Marjorie up after the piece if it's possible Maydwell, in transit to Henley but don't tear your hair out about (16). it.

Film projected onto boat shed out in the middle of the water, a land sea manoeuvre, sharks with the mermaids WOMEN'S WORK DONE

pretation in performance. The loved, they say. I do some more piece itself was designed to pro- sweeping. Women's Work. voke observation and response; Sept. 8. All day. I wanted to leave as much room as People come to take photo- R.M.I.T. Demolition site. possible for individual reaction. graphs, to draw. Someone yells, Performed by Alison Richards. 'Why don't you get a job?' I'd been vaguely concerned about getting bored, or overdoing my It's very cold. People stare, actions in an anxious attempt to I wanted to start at one of the come up and start asking ques- 'be interesting', but concentration limits where existence becomes tions. At first I respond in char- deepens as the day goes on. The performance. An image of some- acter, or stay silent, but they're cleaning women understand. 'Still body's day - nobody's in particu- dissatisfied. They want to know there?' they call, shaking their lar. Like a real life. A day spent at why, they want contact, they heads. home, with a restricted number of want to have their ideas con- actions possible and endless time firmed. I talk to them, politely .. In the afternoon, people begin to perform them; one whole day to walk faster. They're going of my real life. People bring me an orange, home. Fewer people stop, they some sandwiches, a windcheater just glance and go on. The last I wanted the picture sharp and to put on under my dressing group of visitors leaves at about economIcal. If people stopped, gown, they stay to have cups of 6. I'd intended to light a ring of looked, and came back later, I'd tea. candles after dark to finally define still be doing something - clean- the space, but the wind's too ing up, pottering around, watching I watch the TV. Humphrey strong. The men come with the the TV or reading the Women's Bear, daytime shows. Endless taxi truck, and the day's over. Weekly, doing my hair or making showbiz personalities, from Engel- cups of tea. A series of slightly bert Humperdinck to Laurence 'Women's Work' was part of the different moving images, over- Olivier. People watching me RMIT Union Arts programme lapping time and space. watching actors talking about 'The Exchange'. themselves. Actors need to be understood, they need to be THRUST AND PARRY AT THE A.B.e~'S" WAVERLEY STUDIO ... ANrplQOTE TO CALCINATION Thihkillg', e~penrhentati611and certs became known as the secret rather than SUbsisting as passive th(;!open-for1,lffi idea-exchange :cohcerts. ButOtit of the ashes of partners: have always been something of a the old grew 'thePhoeni:kof the cinderella sill~drone in this'coun- llewWaverleyconcert-worksh op- Over the last three years the try . .onemigh~eyenspeak .of a Occasions. These started in 1974 repertoire has grown and some downright hostility from the ugly and are still in operation. 100 compositions were featured sisters' of .the acad(;!mic. dub and and discussed that would' other- the 'conductqr c programmed With a small dedicated group of wise have been lost to us. They G~string . manipulators, " step- performers a new concept in provided an antidote to the mothered by a lotus eating estab- music making was slowly evolved. calcination process which is upon lishment. 'The workshop atmosphere, with us. open discussion among players All this wb}lld really only 'be and audience now replaced the Of particular importance was a historical sport, if, it were not statuesque concert hall. Value the exchange with overseas com- fo.rth(;! face slappingculture sIwck "judgement played little part in this posers. Great help has been given ithas produced in our young venture and' the basic aim was by the Goethe Institute from studl2rits. ,Blushing in the', .hot simply to acquaint an interested whose library we borrowed exten- houses ,of our conservatoria they public with up to dateexperi- sively.