FROM STONE
West Yorkshire stone has an integral role in the landscape. These Men spent the summer of 2021 exploring different sites from abandoned quarries to disused stone buildings, from standing stones to dry stone walls They are examining the sound textures, the natural world, the current uses and responding with a series of impromptu performances with crows, boys on bikes, dog walkers and families as part of the soundscape. Films and studio recordings have been made and the work developed for indoor performance. The audio version is on Bandcamp, videos on Youtube The piece was premiered in April 2022 and a series of performances are scheduled for Autumn 2022 with support from Bradford Council including a collaboration with dancer Chemaine Cooke
SHIPLEY
These Men performed the first selection of pieces relating to a day in the life of Shipley at Quiet Night event in Shipley, West Yorkshire in January 2020. The duo are currently putting the finishing touches to the project with some new audio field recordings and film. Examples of some of the recordings are released on Bandcamp, companion pieces Northcliffe 1 and Northcliffe 2 . Minimal films are on Youtube
PUBLIC PIANOS (click for video) December 2019
These Men are very interested in how public pianos are used by people and in how people respond to performances. On Black Friday 2019 they went on tour of West Yorkshire public pianos with some specially composed pieces. They offered some moments of contemplation amidst the high commerce of the day. The biggest audience engagement was in the quietest, emptiest place in the poorest city in the county.
BFD Fuse Artspace, June 2019
These Men performed an hour of all new audio visual pieces based on the theme of Bradford, taking the audience on a journey from the rural to the urban.The pieces are currently being reworked for a planned performance at Kala Sangam Centre in Bradford
The music was beautiful and I just closed my eyes let it take me. Both of the musicians are extremely talented' (audience member)
"Great show' Lukas Hornby, Fuse co-ordinator
The works included the sights and sounds of the environment, the people and their conversations, the atmosphere, the music and rhythm found in the streets.
May 2019 WeddingCeremony
These Men were commissioned to produce a film for a screen which filled the wall in a venue for a wedding. The local woods provided the perfect setting and allowed the outside to be brought in. They recorded several pieces of music to accompany the ceremony which were played during the day. The film acted as a gentle backdrop for the celebrations.
Thornton
South Square Centre, Bradford
April 2019
A performance at South Square Centre used 9 films made in and around the centre. The films showed close up details of the landscape and the looming presence of the viaduct. Crows flew by, the grass rippled in the breeze, a wire swung against the tree shadows on the stone wall of the centre. Each film had a live soundtrack performed on piano and violin with effects and live loops to create soundscapes.
February - March 2019
These Men were commissioned to perform in Queensgate Market, Huddersfield as part of Our Market, a partnership with Creative Kirklees and Huddersfield University. The market is a listed building featuring a unique concrete parabolic arch ceiling which has distinctive acoustic properties. Phil played the public access piano with Ian on violin creating pieces to engage and entertain the shoppers and stall holders.
They filmed from the performance area and recorded the sights and sounds of the market including members of the public playing the piano. These have been made into a legacy piece, 'Same to you love' which captures the warmth and connection between the people in the market. A slide show of images from the market has a soundtrack of one of the pieces performed on the day 'Queensgate'.
