Yahoo Tuning Groups Ultimate Backup tuning Calling all British microtonalists

That was a ploy to get the attention of the UK visitors to this list.
I've been wondering for some time if it would be possible to set up some
kind of forum in the UK for the promotion of the theory and practice of
the various microtonal musics that we all so obviously love. Last year I
posted something about the possibility of organising a mini microtonal
festival as part of the larger Edinburgh Festival. Unfortunately, the
way things stand, you have to pay large sums of money, then more money
and then the spending really starts before you play a note. On top of
this you are constantly battling against thrillseekers out on a three
week bender who want to share obscenities with dubious stand up comics.
And that's just the opera. (I hear some of you begging to be invited).

Seriously, though, I don't think that the Edinburgh Festival would be
an appropriate event for new music and I wouldn't like to be responsible
for shelling out thousands to invite overseas visitors to play. But
there are other performance possibilities around the UK. There is also
the possibility, with the right approach, of funding from Arts Councils
and certainly in Scotland of the archiving and dissemination of scores
and tapes through the Scottish Music Information Council (SMIC) in
Glasgow. I have always liked the idea of contributing in some way to a
journal dealing with theoretical and practical microtonal issues, a mini
Xenharmonicon, which might be left around or even sent to our
illustrious musical establishments. We could even organise a night out
with Graham to sort out unbelievers : - ) (just joking, I love your work
and scholarship).

Anyway, all this is in the realm of possibility so I propose that the
first step would be to establish if there are enough of us to begin
small scale with tape exchanges and writing articles or organising
events. I'm willing to act as a point of contact. Nothing ventured,
nothing gained. Private or list emails as you wish.

I'm expecting someone to pop up and say that there is already this or
that forum in the UK. With respect to what else is going on, if it's not
making itself known to this list then it's not wired up properly. I'd
rather gravitate towards the expertise and inspiration we have from the
regular theoreticians and musicians on this list as I trust and respect
their academic and musical integrity and their spirit of sharing,
qualities I find sadly lacking in a lot of UK institutions.

In anticipation...

🔗monz <joemonz@yahoo.com>

--- In tuning@y..., Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@w...> wrote:

/tuning/topicId_21912.html#21912

> That was a ploy to get the attention of the UK visitors to
> this list. I've been wondering for some time if it would be
> possible to set up some kind of forum in the UK for the
> promotion of the theory and practice of the various microtonal
> musics that we all so obviously love.

Alison, you should be aware that Patrick Ozzard-Low is currently
forming a "Centre for Microtonal Music" (or perhaps some other
such name) in London.

I spoke with his associate Donald Bousted (sp?) at Microfest
last month, and Don tells me that Patrick has received funding
and is working on this. Perhaps others in UK have more details.
I do know that it is associated with a college.

Patrick used to be a subscriber to this list, but he never
returned after his around-the-world research trip to study
microtonal instruments. I had the pleasure of meeting him
and hearing some of his great compositions when he passed
thru San Diego in 1998. Here's a webpage on him:
http://boulez.cnmat.berkeley.edu/Calendar/Patrick-Ozzard-Low.html

-monz
http://www.monz.org
"All roads lead to n^0"

🔗Pitchcolor@aol.com

🔗Robert Walker <robert_walker@rcwalker.freeserve.co.uk>

Hi Alison,

Just to say sounds a nice idea.

I'd have liked to go to the Microfest in the US!

Rather than try something large and expensive all
at once, I wonder if one could start small with
a kind of fest / get together. If there are half
a dozen or so interested, might be enough to
get it going, and have some events to give it
a focus, and go on from there in following years.

For instance, would be interesting to hear a demo of what
you've been doing with your singing to a drone,
and meditative music.

Expect some might want to play or demonstrate instruments
and tunings, or to improvise, or some to give papers, and some
might just want to swell the audience and listen
and meet everyone, first time anyway.

Edinburgh is pretty accessible for me as I have relatives
who live near Ed.

(I'm in Oxford myself, but with my mother and sisters in Scotland,
- on the islands of Skye and Mull, and in the borders).

I wonder if there is any possibility of a music dept hosting
this kind of thing? I know Ed. is strong on historical musical
instruments, as they have a web site all about it, but don't
know about microtonalism, but there is a connection there isn't
there anyway, with authentic performance of early music.

Could give a little space for players / demonstrators of
tunings and instruments, and in that sort of situation it
doesn't matter if there is a tiny audience, and maybe it
wouldn't cost much if there was anyone connected with the
dept. interested, and if the room wasn't being used for anything else.

Also plenty of Scottish connections, e.g. with the bagpipe scale
and I'm sure there are interesting things to learn about
tunings of early Scottish music. (I've got a book on Scottish
music that I've got out of the library called "Scotland's
music" by John Purser, the book of a long running radio
program about Scottish music that my father was very keen on).

Or, maybe a school music dept, in school holidays?

I'm not sure if these are practical suggestions, just in
case they suggest anything.

Robert

🔗Afmmjr@aol.com

🔗Graham Breed <graham@microtonal.co.uk>

Robert Walker:

> Edinburgh is pretty accessible for me as I have relatives
> who live near Ed.
>
> (I'm in Oxford myself, but with my mother and sisters in Scotland,
> - on the islands of Skye and Mull, and in the borders).

Oxford would be much more convenient for me. Previous times I've met
British microtonalists have been in London. That's an easy, but also
expensive and stressful place to go to. Let's find an alternative for
once.

My instrument is Kyma which isn't really portable. I could probably
get my guitar to Oxford, but not Edinburgh. I do use Kyma to process
it these days, but that's not so important.

Otherwise, one retunable keyboard is much like another.

I think the Miracle temperament is important enough for a
mini-conference. As its main proponent in the UK, I'd be willing to
give a presentation. Perhaps this could be done after Paul and Dave
get their paper published.

Graham

🔗Alison Monteith <alison.monteith3@which.net>

Robert Walker wrote:

> Hi Alison,
>
> Just to say sounds a nice idea.
>
> I'd have liked to go to the Microfest in the US!

Me too. Bit expensive though, hence the idea of a British meet.

> Rather than try something large and expensive all
> at once, I wonder if one could start small with
> a kind of fest / get together. If there are half
> a dozen or so interested, might be enough to
> get it going, and have some events to give it
> a focus, and go on from there in following years.

I agree, even if it's an anorak's convention (for the US readers, anorak = nerdy geeky sort of
person). I think we have to think small given the numbers. I'm still counting on one hand.

>
> For instance, would be interesting to hear a demo of what
> you've been doing with your singing to a drone,
> and meditative music.

I'll send you a tape of some music certainly. I would like to encourage this, then we can be
honest about whether we think there is enough variety and quality to merit performances. Another
option would be to build a UK microtonal site and keep it alive with streamed audio, scores and
theoretical issues. If it was publicised around the right places it should arouses some interest.

> Expect some might want to play or demonstrate instruments
> and tunings, or to improvise, or some to give papers, and some
> might just want to swell the audience and listen
> and meet everyone, first time anyway.

I could offer to play my 22 tet guitar pieces. For other pieces the instruments would need to be
built or modified and players/singers trained but till that happens good sampler/midi realisations
would be a start. That's a starting point for collaborations.

>
> Edinburgh is pretty accessible for me as I have relatives
> who live near Ed.
>
> (I'm in Oxford myself, but with my mother and sisters in Scotland,
> - on the islands of Skye and Mull, and in the borders).

I'm in Jedburgh in the Borders so that's useful to know.

> I wonder if there is any possibility of a music dept hosting
> this kind of thing? I know Ed. is strong on historical musical
> instruments, as they have a web site all about it, but don't
> know about microtonalism, but there is a connection there isn't
> there anyway, with authentic performance of early music.

I'm considering approaching Edinburgh University formally but it needs to be done carefully. They
have an attitude and are quite in love with themselves if you get my drift. They are very canny
with money in the Music Department but there are individuals who could pull strings. I think we'd
need to get some work together and make a proposal. For example they have a series of lunchtime
recitals. I know also that the French Institute in Edinburgh would host an event and they are owe
me a few favours. There might in any case be other less 'distinguished' universities or
institutions who might help out and I'm working on that too.

> Could give a little space for players / demonstrators of
> tunings and instruments, and in that sort of situation it
> doesn't matter if there is a tiny audience, and maybe it
> wouldn't cost much if there was anyone connected with the
> dept. interested, and if the room wasn't being used for anything else.
>
> Also plenty of Scottish connections, e.g. with the bagpipe scale
> and I'm sure there are interesting things to learn about
> tunings of early Scottish music. (I've got a book on Scottish
> music that I've got out of the library called "Scotland's
> music" by John Purser, the book of a long running radio
> program about Scottish music that my father was very keen on).
>
> Or, maybe a school music dept, in school holidays?

The educational angle is a strong one in Scotland and I think it would be most beneficial for
schools and university composition departments to have visiting speakers/demonstrators show some
of the possibilities of non-12 music. First some sort of profile would have to be established, to
get the credibility in the first place. I've just read Graham's suggestions and, though it breaks
my heart to say it, I agree that England is probably a more suitable focal point than Edinburgh
for now. For a start as far as I know the current microtonal population of Scotland is 1.

It strikes me that the theorists are way ahead of the game and that a well presented paper on the
Miracle and related tunings with electronic or midi pieces would be a sound start. This could be
done in a reasonably short time span given sympathetic music institutions. Perhaps if a UK
microtonal website was up and running concurrently, interest would grow and we'd get the critical
mass for an event.

> I'm not sure if these are practical suggestions, just in
> case they suggest anything.
>
> Robert

It's important to keep the ideas coming. It's most encouraging that some interest has ignited,
particularly in the light of the remarkable recent discoveries. Although I had no part in it I
will use the findings to compose but for now I think that Graham is right to be thinking of
presentations and I'll do all I can to get him a foot in the door. Maybe some sort of intro-spiel
for heads of music departments would be useful with a going rate fee. If the findings are to make
any impression in the academic journals, one could tempt departments by offering them the chance
to say, "you heard about it here first".

Well lots more ideas. Let's keep at it.

Best Wishes