Xenakis Xtravaganza marked the centenary of Iannis Xenakis, paying tribute to the composer known for some of the most popular percussion works loved by both audiences and performers. This was a rare chance to hear nearly all of Xenakis’s percussion catalogue and be profoundly moved by these large-scale, awe-inspiring pieces.
Xenakis Xtravaganza was curated and directed by Brent Miller and hosted by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music on 29-30 October 2022.
PROGRAM
*Denotes world premiere
Metallic Exotica (meet the Sixxen)
Saturday 29th, 5pm, Kenneth Myer Auditorium
The official unveiling of Australia's newest metallic, microtonal instrument - the Sixxen. Designed and constructed by Melbourne's own master craftsman John Rechter, in collaboration with Brent Miller, the instrument has been designed in a more accessible way for composers to write for in the future. In this intimate concert, you will have a chance to play the instrument(!) before being serenaded by an eclectic series of works featuring it, including works written specifically for the instrument by Melody Eötvös and Amanda Cole (World Premiere). We are joined in this concert by WHACKollective - Australia’s newest and exciting percussion quartet comprising MCM students and graduates: Aditya Bhat, Bridget Bourne, Oscar Tudge and Justin Zheng.
Amanda COLE: INTERMETALLIC (2012/2022) *
George Hamilton GREEN: Chromatic Fox Trot (1924)
Soloist: David Stockwell (Sixxen)
Xenakis: Gala
Saturday 29th, 7.30pm, Kenneth Myer Auditorium
The official opening concert of our Xenakis Xtravaganza Percussion Festival. We open with a work written in memory of Xenakis for piano (Kristian Chong), violin (Jenny Khafagi) and percussion (Brent Miller) by award-winning Greek composer Athanasia Tzanou. This will be followed by some of Xenakis's 'greatest hits' for percussion featuring MCM percussion students with special guests Don Immel (trombone) and Peter de Jager (harpsichord). The second half of the concerts features a work for voice and percussion by Dr Susan Frykberg, who has close connections with Xenakis having worked for and studied with him in Europe. Closing the concert, you will have an opportunity to hear the percussion solos of Xenakis. Arguably his most famous works, they have stood the test of time and are some of the most performed percussion works on the planet.
Athanasia TZANOU: Elegia In Memoria Xenakis (2014) *Australian Premiere
Tair Khisambeev (violin), Kristian Chong (piano), Brent Miller (percussion)
Iannis XENAKIS: Okho (1989)
Peter Neville, Aditya Bhat, Brent Miller (djembes)
Iannis XENAKIS: Oophaa (1989)
Peter de Jager (amplified harpsichord), Aditya Bhat (percussion)
Iannis XENAKIS: Zythos (1996)
Richard Shirley (trombone, soloist) with members of MYRIAD (marimbas) conducted by Brent Miller
~ INTERVAL ~
Susan FRYKBERG: Dr Hodgkinson and Women Voters (2019) *Australian Premiere
Darcy Towe (vocalist), Sophie Barker (percussion)
Iannis XENAKIS: Rebonds (1987)
Leah Columbine (percussion)
Iannis XENAKIS: Psappha (1975)
Brent Miller (percussion)
Songs from the Sublime to the Ridiculous
Sunday 30th , 11am, Hanson Dyer Hall
In this all-Xenakis recital, you will hear many facets of the composer's style. We are joined by percussionists from the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) Aditya Bhat and Nathan Gatenby, and their Head of Percussion Peter Neville, to present 'Okho' for 3 djembes. Then, you will hear a sublime collection of piano works entitled Six Chansons (transcribed for percussion ensemble). This piece remained unpublished and unknown for many years and is one of his earliest compositions. You would never guess it was written by Xenakis! From the sublime to the ridiculous, closing the concert you will be treated to a rare performance of Kassandra (from Oresteïa) - a demanding work for percussion and baritone who also plays the psaltery (an ancient greek harp-like instrument), performed by Aditya Bhat (percussion) and Sean Quinn (baritone, psaltery).
Iannis XENAKIS: Okho (1989)
Sophie Barker, Aidan Ritchie, Hei Tong (Toby) Lo (percussion)
Iannis XENAKIS: Six Chansons (1951)
arranged for percussion and performed by MYRIAD
Iannis XENAKIS: Kassandra (from Oresteïa) (1987)
Sean Quinn (baritone, psaltery); Aditya Bhat (percussion)
Surround Sound
Sunday 30th, 1.30pm, Cantilever
Experience the epic percussion sextet that Xenakis called 'Persephassa' which invites the audience to be surrounded by the performers.
Featuring some of Melbourne's finest percussion all-stars: Peter Neville, Louise Devenish, Arwen Johnston, Hugh Tidy, and MCM students Aditya Bhat and Oscar Tudge, directed by Brent Miller.
Iannis XENAKIS: Persephassa (1969)
Aditya Bhat, Louise Devenish, Arwen Johnston, Peter Neville, Hugh Tidy & Oscar Tudge (percussion)
Titans and Constellations
Sunday 30th, 5pm, Kenneth Myer Auditorium
In the finale concert of our Xenakis Xtravaganza Percussion Festival, we are ending with a bang in a very, very big way.
A row of 14 timpanists will shake you to the core as they perform the world premiere of Brent Miller's transcription of an organ work by Olivier Messiaen (one of Xenakis's greatest supporters and teachers). Percussionists from MCM will then perform the Australian Premiere of Marta Ptaszyńska's 'Linear Constellations in Space'. Brent Miller (percussion) and Peter de Jager (harpsichord) will offer a performance of Xenakis's large-scale duo 'Komboï'. Last but not least, the centrepiece of the festival, MCM's top percussion students conducted by Brent will perform Xenakis's monumental 45-minute percussion sextet 'Pléïades'. This tour de force of percussion is written in four movements, each offering an exposé of a different instrument group from the percussion family: 1. Keyboards, 2. Drums, 3. Metals, 4. All together. Look out for MCM's newest metal instrument, the Sixxen (coined by Xenakis, designed and created for MCM by John Rechter), which will feature prominently in Pléïades.
Olivier MESSIAEN: Apparition De L'église Éternelle (1932/2022)*
arranged for 14 timpanists by Brent Miller
Marta PTASZYŃSKA: Linear Constructions in Space (1997-98) *Australian Premiere
Percussion Sextet performed by MYRIAD
Iannis XENAKIS: Komboï (1981)
Peter de Jager (amplified harpsichord), Brent Miller (percussion)
~ INTERVAL ~
Iannis XENAKIS: Pléïades (1978)
Oscar Tudge, Justin Zheng, Aditya Bhat, Leah Columbine, Maja Majstorović Eather, Bridget Bourne (percussion); directed by Brent Miller