Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
Our first public event, Concurrent#1, took place on 16th January 2016 in Teviot Row House & the Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh. One hundred and thirty people registered for a programme of workshops, discussions and experimental performances by leading UK exponents and thinkers.
Musicians and dancers explored listening and improvisation with saxophonist Franziska Schroeder (Queens University Belfast). Adam Linson (IASH) discussed improvisation as a common approach with chef Fiona Burrell (Edinburgh New Town Cookery School), skateboarder Ali Menzies (Skateboard Scotland) and explorer Alice Eldridge (University of Sussex).
Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
Later, Peter Lovatt (University of Hertfordshire) and Tara French (Glasgow School of Art) brought the audience to its feet and into full song to tackle barriers to improvisation. In a final workshop, music therapist Nicky Haire and dance therapist Suzi Cunningham (NHS Lothian) took the unprecedented step of improvising together outwith a therapeutic environment, discussing the implications of this unusual context and collaboration with fellow therapists Philippa Derrington (Queen Margaret University) and Vicky Karkou (Edge Hill University).
Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
In a final workshop, music therapist Nicky Haire and dance therapist Suzi Cunningham (NHS Lothian) took the unprecedented step of improvising together outwith a therapeutic environment, discussing the implications of this unusual context and collaboration with fellow therapists Philippa Derrington (Queen Margaret University) and Vicky Karkou (Edge Hill University).
Presenting a new work Stones, Clouds, Graeme Wilson, Raymond MacDonald & Cath Keay (Edinburgh College of Art) improvised live with Franziska Schroeder, dancers Ana Almeida and Sophia Lycouris and bassist Una MacGlone (ECA) and visual artist Emma Bowen (Garage gallery, Edinburgh). The interdisciplinary group responded to Keay’s sculptural interpretations of German Expressionist Wenzel Hablik’s drawings, devised to render Wilson & MacDonald’s recent psychological model for group improvising as a 3D score.
Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
Glasgow group Collective Endeavours delivered a spellbinding improvisation between electric guitar, harp and two dancers. After a break, PA Tremblay, Rodrigo Constanzo and Simon Fell (University of Huddersfield) generated group improvisations using Constanzo’s innovative dfscore system, displaying the software through projection for the first time, and also interacting with dancers for the first time
Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
A final improvisation by collaborators brought to a close an electrifying day of new ideas and directions for research.
Image courtesy of Full Zoom Photography
You can view videos of all performances on our Media Page. Another Concurrent event is planned for January 2017.
Links to Concurrent#1 collaborators & performers:
Franziska Schroeder
Adam Linson
Peter Lovatt
Philippa Derrington
Vicky Karkou
Cath Keay
Sophia Lycouris
PA Tremblay
Rodrigo Costanzo’s dfscore software
Collective Endeavours