About Tectonics from Ilan Volkov

How can an orchestra, the 19th century beast, be more radical and experimental? Is it possible? This is one of the questions that started me on a journey that led to the first Tectonics Festival in Reykjavik this winter. I am hoping to present various answers to this basic question on the coming seasons. The first festival will concentrate on a few pioneering figures while also presenting many new works by composers from Iceland and beyond. Starting with John Cage is a natural easy choice- his work has to do with looking afresh at music and the arts. His biggest influences were original thinkers like Thoreau, Satie and Duchamp. Throughout his composing life he used large ensembles and orchestras in a totally new and different way- partly by completely transforming the conductor's role. In the early Concert for piano- the conductor becomes a living subjective clock- or in the late number pieces - where there is no conductor and each musician uses a stopwatch.These big orchestral works are still way ahead of their time and will not become standard repertoire anytime soon. The composers who collaborated with Cage were all working in different paths on new notation techniques, spatial works, electronic pieces, installations etc.

Morton Feldman, Christian Wolff and Alvin Lucier works will be presented through the festival. Some of the new pieces for ensemble and orchestra in the festival continue the idea about changing the conductor's role or cancelling it all together- in Berio Accordo there will be 4 conductors, each conducting a separate brass band. Mason chose to have the conductor's beat on screens and the musicians on swinging office chairs, playing while moving and also exiting and entering the hall from various locations. Quite a spectacular piece! Both Aki Asgeirsson and Jesper Pedersen also invent new ways to notate for orchestra- using light and movement. Charles Ross uses 2 separate ensembles- one classical with standard notation and another of improvisers reading a sand painting. We will present performances of John Cage's works with non-academic composers and musicians- artists, electronic hard core musicians and various independent musicians which will give the whole day a real energy and power.

The contrasts between electronic and acoustic sounds will be explored on all days- Magnus Blondal, the Icelandic pioneer of electronic music with his chamber, orchestral and electronic masterpieces. It interested me straight away when I saw Harpa before it was finished to use various foyer locations and the various acoustic landscapes in the halls. Frank Denyer's new orchestral piece is written specifically with this in mind. Working again with John Tilbury will be a highlight for me- and also hearing him in duo with the wonderful Oren Ambarchi who create huge, amazing sounds from his guitar. I had the pleasure of promoting Oren's concerts in Israel few times recently and I cannot wait for our explosive encounter- a new work for orchestra and electric guitar in which some of the music is written but mostly I will use signs and cues to compose in real time. That will be a real adventure with no safety nets whatsoever.