The Hollow Air
Musical Direction Phillip Slater
In Collaboration with Richard Nunns and Greg White
Co Commissioned by The Australian Art Orchestra and David Malachari for AK07
TRUMPET & LAPTOP Phillip Slater
LAPTOP Greg White
GUITAR & ELECTRONICS Carl Dewhurst
PIANO & LAPTOP Alister Spence
PERCUSSION Vanessa Tomlinson
TRADITIONAL MAORI INSTRUMENTS
(TAONGA PUORO) Richard Nunns
Traditional Maori instruments, improvisation, sound projection and real time manipulation using MAX/MSP combine in The Hollow Air a fluid, ambient new work co-commissioned by the Australian Art Orchestra and the 2007 Auckland Festival.
AAO composer and musician Phillip Slater brings together New Zealand multi-instrumentalist Richard Nunns, an established and acclaimed ethnographer and practitioner of over twenty traditional instruments unique to Maori culture, and sound designer, composer and improviser Greg White with members of the Australian Art Orchestra.
Phillip Slater describes the project:
The Hollow Air is 40mins. duration and involves a collaboration between members of the Australian Art Orchestra, New Zealand multi-instrumentalist Richard Nunns, and sound designer/composer/improviser Greg White. The work focuses upon the various tonal and timbral nuances of the respective instruments and incorporates sound projection and real time digital manipulation using MAX/MSP. The performers work from pre-composed material in a very flexible (cellular) way and also improvise within both pre-established and spontaneously created parameters such as those generated by "conduction" techniques.
The primary focus of the work is to both establish a sonic context for the improvisations by Mr. Nunns upon traditional musical and ceremonial instruments of Maori culture, and to also create an interactive method for the artists to explore. Mr. Nunns is an established and acclaimed ethnographer and practitioner of over twenty traditional instruments unique to Maori culture, and is internationally respected for his performance practice and collaborations. The instrumentalist from the AAO are of a world class standard in terms of their musical abilities and their dedication to engage in new performance techniques, collaborations and musical styles.
This area of collaborative work (between artists of differing genres/cultures /disciplines) is an interesting area for me, and I firmly believe this way of music making is something for which the Australian Art Orchestra has a particular talent. The varied talents of each of the members, with a primary focus upon types of improvisation, make it an extremely fluid and flexible ensemble to work with. Combining this improvisational aesthetic with realtime manipulation techniques afford by the MAX/MASP software offers the ensemble a unique opportunity to enlarge its creative music making palette.
The work has several components, including musical score, conduction "signing language", MAX/MSP patches installed on several laptop workstations for the performers, and sound spatialisation software patches programmed and performed by Greg White.
The key collaborative artists engage in several workshop-rehearsal situations and develop the necessary musical vocabulary requirements of the piece. These include familiarisation with MAX/MSP possibilities, conduction techniques, and the various aesthetic issues arising from collaborating with Mr. Nunns and Mr. White. There will be several MAX/MSP workstations (ie. a laptop, mixing desks, etc), which will require some exploration and familiarisation by the performers.
Several of the instrumentalists utilize contact and/or close microphone techniques (both for amplification and sound file gathering). The performers are also asked to undertake many extended techniques upon their respective instruments.
Richard Nunns Nga Taonga Puoro
Richard Nunns has been described as one of New Zealand's most remarkable musicians. A Pakeha (European New Zealander) who has become the living authority on Taonga Puoro (Maori traditional instruments) his journey has required a great deal of respect, perseverance and sensitivity - characteristics that inevitably emerge in the depths of his own music. He has a long history of personal commitment to researching and presenting/ performing the traditional musical instruments of the Maori, and to organising this body of knowledge into a form which is immediately understandable to people in general, particularly Maori who have lost contact with such knowledge.
Taonga Puoro defy flashness and speed, and Richard's virtuosity comes in the form of his own brilliant consistency and creativity, managing to mould the endless textures, nuances and sounds to perfectly fit any situation he finds himself in, whilst never compromising the integrity of these sacred instruments.
Since Richard first began public performances on Taonga Puoro, he has developed an amazing international profile, both with the diversity of his recorded work, along with performing with a wide variety of people in many differing settings and circumstances. Traditional music performances include the World Expo ' in Brisbane, and the pre-Olympic Festival of the Dreaming in Sydney, and representing New Zealand at the Polynesian Music Festival in Raratonga in 1996. Richard was also invited to perform at three WOMADS in Adelaide and Auckland in 1997 and 1999. In 1998, he co-led the musicians at the opening of Te Papa dawn ceremony with Nga Taonga Puoro.
In addition, Richard is increasingly working across a wide range of musical genres. He has toured with Maori Artists (Moana Maniapoto, Deborah Wai Kapohe) free jazz improvisors (Evan Parker, Geoff Henderson) pianists (Judy Bailey, Marilyn Crispell, Paul Grabowsky, Mike Nock) flutists (Alexa Still and Bridget Douglas) and has had a number of performances of contemporary classical works, written specifically for him, including with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the New Zealand String Quartet. He is continually in demand for recording with a wide range of musicians. Tuhonohono with Judy Bailey being a recent CD release.
With Hirini Melbourne, Richard has produced two CD's, Te Ku Te Whe and te hekenga-a-rangi, as well as publishing a book and tape Toiapiapi. Theirs was a unique collaboration on Te Ara Puoro ( The sounds of the Maori) until Hirini's untimely death last year.
Since 2001, Richard has held the position of Research Associate at the University of Waikato.
Richard has also been awarded an honorary life member of the New Zealand Flute Association, and in 2001 was honoured by the Composers Association of New Zealand with a Citation for Services to New Zealand Music.
