News Update | Spring 2009

Volker Straebel: “Technological implications of Phill Niblock’s drone music, derived from analytical observations of selected works for cello and string quartet on tape”, in: Organised Sound 13:3 (Dec. 2008), 225-235
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=OSO
article available from the website (www.straebel.de)

Abstract: Four compositions for cello and string quartet on tape by American intermedia artist Phill Niblock originating from 1974 to 2003 are discussed.
The interdependence of compositional approach and available technology is considered, leading to the observation that the electronic music composers technique is considerably independent of the available technology. Where a dependence of artistic development on factors not originally musical has to be acknowledged, these nonmusical factors lie not so much in the technology
but in Niblocks interpretation of it. This is discussed within the context of philosophical observations on art and technology by Theodor W. Adorno, Martin Heidegger and Ernst Cassirer.

Feb 17, Antwerp, Laboratorium project with Champ d’Action Ensemble, recording/workshop for material to be used in a new commissioned piece for two orchestras, to be played March 28 in Antwerp, mix on the 18th; plus a talk, at the conservatory

Subtropics Festival, Miami Florida (Feb 28 to Mar 1) an installation of Soundworks by PN and others, and a set in a concert. And a collaborative performance with Katherine Liberovskaya, live video, and PN, mixing soundworks; and many other events www.subtropics.org

March 14 -The Hague, a Niblock-evening with films, music, the Trio Scordatura, and the Ensemble Klang, Dag in de Branding, eleventh edition, March 14th, 21h – Paard van Troje,
Prinsegracht 12, Den Haag, The Netherlands. Pieces to be played – Pan Fried 11, Three Orchids, Parker’s Altered Mood, Disseminate
info@paard.nl www.dagindebranding.nl/ (www.ensembleklang.com)
(www.trioscordatura.com)

March 28, concert with a new PN piece commissioned by Champ d’ Action, titled “Nameless” (22 minutes, scored, with the score realized in collaboration with Bob Gilmore) by Phill Niblock, performed by ‘Laboratorium’ of Champ d’Action at De Singel, Jan Van Rijswijcklaan 155, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium
www.champdaction.be

Screenings, talks, produced by Andrea Lissoni at Gorizia University, Friuli Province, Italy, in collaboration with the videomaker Carlos Casas March 30 & 31, & April 1, as part of VII MAGIS International Film Studies Spring School

April 17 Hamburg, Germany, at Kampnagel, the Nelly Boyd Ensemble, of Hamburg, with the Trio Scordatura, of Amsterdam. Featuring a Performance of a new work by PN – “One Large Rose”, soon to be released on a “Touch” label double CD. Other works by PN will be “Three Orchids” and “Tow by Tom”. Three Orchids will be performed by Trio Scordatura; One Large Rose by the Nelly Boyd Ensemble, and Tow by Tom (for two orchestras) by both groups, each playing one orchestra, with multitrack recording. All pieces will be with playback of multitrack recordings and live musicians, and each piece is played from scores
www.nellyboyd.org www.trioscordatura.com
www.kampnagel.de/index.php?page=detail&cluster=428011

Phill Niblock, Gent Spring – an installation of music and film pieces – April 24th -> May 23rd.
Opening on April 23rd at 8pm, with a concert of music by Phill Niblock featuring a performance by Kasper T. Toeplitz (F) playing live with his music; produced in collaboration with Odradek De Witte Zaal, Posteernestraat 64, 9000 Gent, Belgium www.wittezaal.be www.odradek.net

Phill Niblock at OffOff artcinema
A programme consisting of six short films from the 60’s, by Phill Niblock
April 27th at 8.30pm Art Cinema OFFoff, Begijnhof ter Hoye, Lange Violettestraat 237, B-9000, Gent, Belgium
www.offoff.be
in cooperation with Odradek & De Witte Zaal