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Contemporary percussionist Steven Schick from the United States will soon visit Hong Kong to perform the Paul Dresher Ensemble's latest music theatre work, "Schick Machine". This multi-media music theatre follows the creation of a giant musical instrument that can reconcile past and future.
The story begins with the sound of a summer storm's distant thunder and rain on the roof. This, along with the memory of the sound made by his mother's typewriter, compels sound collector and sonic inventor Laslo Klangfarben to attempt the creation of the "Schick Machine", a wondrous mechanical device that consumes his every waking - and dreaming - moment. Various fantastic devices including a giant motorised hurdy-gurdy, a deconstructed pipe organ and an array of spinning and thrashing metal machines that seem to be alive fill the basement workshop of our possibly mad but possibly genius inventor as he nears the completion of his giant instrument, which he believes can reconcile past and future. "Theoretically it's sound. It's sound, theoretically, it's sound," says Laslo Klangfarben.
Paul Dresher, artistic director of Paul Dresher Ensemble, combines as the production's composer, instrument inventor and builder. He is an internationally active composer noted for his ability to integrate diverse musical influences into this own coherent and unique personal style. His music covers an extraordinary variety, ranging from experimental opera and music theatre, chamber and orchestral composition to live instrumental electro-acoustic. Steven Schick has long championed contemporary percussion music as a performer and teacher. Over the past 30 years he has premiered more than one hundred new works for percussion and performed at various major concerts and festivals internationally. From 2000 to 2004, he served as artistic director of the Centre International de Percussions de Geneve in Switzerland. In 2007 he became musical director and conductor of the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus.
"Schick Machine", one of the programmes of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Boundless Multi-Media Series, will be staged at 8pm on July 6 and 7 (Friday and Saturday) and at 4pm on July 8 (Sunday) at the Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $250 and 180 are now available at all URBTIX outlets, on the Internet and by credit card telephone booking. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and the minder, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients (limited tickets for CSSA recipients). Group and series booking discount schemes are also available, please refer to programme leaflet for details.
A post-performance talk will be held on July 6. Patrons are welcome to join with free admission.
For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7323, or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/000003cc.html .
For ticketing enquiries, please call 2734 9009. For credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. For Internet bookings, please visit www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Friday, May 4, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:00
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