'The Atmos Ensemble' will perform in public for the first time on the Saturday night before Drome8 at the same venue, it should be interesting to see how the change of situation affects the outcome. Please join us on the Sunday as either an audience member, sound and music maker or in any way you prefer.
Our time is full of the plastics of multi-nationalists, if we don't make our own spaces and scenes they will do it for us.
It was a successful Drome6, I hope this project can develop into an event which will generate its own momentum and be an addition of cultural value to our piece of the rock.
This Drome heard a tall man with a waxed mustache play the saw and a dreaded electric harpist, a couple of Uni lecturers releasing stress on junk and toy piano, six strings on the wreck of a violin? Or whipper snipper your bass? Confine your speaking in tongues to the church? 'why', zither and auto harp, vocals and chants, drums and 2nd world noise makers. Let the past come forward to take control of the present.
Please for my own sanity and yours turn up next Drome and make it even better than this. Sounds have appeared as if by magic in the box to the right from Drome6.
You know this blogging stuff is a bit like '1984', the past can be altered at will.
Well it's on again if you want to be involved let me know or just turn up on the day, There have been a host of people who have said maybe to Drome5, this has been reflected onto the final flyer
Drome4 which was in late November and I'm only just doing an autopsy now in early February, so I test my memory. Firstly it is a busy time of year so not as many turned up as I would have liked, but the system is flexible enough for possibilities. The Atmos/Ensemble thing had to be abandoned and we had just a general session with breaks etc, which is fine but over a whole afternoon it is better if different ensembles can feature to give each session a new direction and sound. The sessions sometimes fell into musicians comfort zones where people were playing things they have played before, this is probably because we didn't have the different ensembles to show some imaginative lead. For me the idea is to play/make noise that's in my brain not what is in my fingers/lips/feet/mouth. If you don't know what I mean it's pretty much like going for a walk around your local block compared to walking in someplace you've never been before, it's more exciting but you have to think or you'll get into trouble. Maybe that is not such a good analogy if anyone has a better one please add it in the comments. I'm looking forward to Drome5 hope to see you there. You can hear some highlights of Drome4 on the widget to the right of this text.
Drome exists to allow musicians and sound artists of varying abilities the opportunity of improvising with other musicians in small and large groups; at volume or softly, featured or in supporting roles, in undefined key, tempo, form and time signature. Specifically Drome is for ensemble improvisation exploring; counterpoint, harmony and dissonance including atmospheric noise focusing on; tone, texture and arhythmics. Through the use of the two sections, ensemble and atmos orchestra access is possible for sound artists of varying ages and skill levels to be involved. It is also designed to encourage future collaborations by connecting various sound artist from a particular area and is therefore a social as well as creative event.
Musicians and sound artists who want to be involved.
Drome is for experimental sound artists/musicians interested in ensemble and atmospheric improvisation on acoustic instruments of any type (excluding guitars). Musicians are not limited to using just one instrument in either the ensemble or atmos orchestra. The ensemble is a small group of musicians who feature and control their session and the atmos orchestra a larger group whose role is to create an aural platform of supporting atmospherics and idea sparks for the featured ensemble. Musicians in the atmos orchestra can have their turn to feature in following ensemble sessions if they wish. After each session those in the current ensemble will return to become part of the atmos orchestra. If you would like to be involved contact me at howard_simon@yahoo.com.
Organisations who want to be involved
The aim of the project is to develop improvisational skills in a real time environment for sound artists with varied skill levels and to create ongoing links locally, regionally and statewide between performers interested in ensemble improvisation and atmospherics. At this stage Drome and Punctum are seeking expressions of interest from organisations in viable locations with enough improvisational musicians, a suitable venue, and a responsible individual who is able and willing to organise what would become their end of the project. If you would like to be part of expanding this concept statewide contact me at howard_simon@yahoo.com.
