Stevie Wishart premiered Solos for Hurdy Gurdy: Strings, Wheel, and Fingers in Germany in 2008. She bring this to the UK for a special event at Modern Art Oxford.
As one of our oldest string instruments, and specifically of European invention, the hurdy-gurdy creates a sound which is both timeless & musically undefinable.
Its construction and playing techniques lead the composer into an idiosyncratic musical journey as she performs her "Solos for hurdy gurdy: strings, wheel, and fingers" within the sonic atmos of the ancorage room of a bridge, a warehouse for floodgates where the noise from the cars and the trams become part of the musical instrument.
MOUTH
Referencing the original use of the 1960s basement space at Modern Art Oxford that hosted original new performance and poetry, Mouth gathers ten exciting visual artists, writers and musicians for an innovative evening at the Gallery.
These cutting edge artists are brought together by vocalist MacGillivray. Composer and musician Stevie Wishart will begin the evening and present us with her electronic music technologies and medieval instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy. Joining Stevie will be poets B. Catling, Carter Revard, Aaron Williamson, Vahni Capildeo and Tom Chivers. Singer songwriter D. Gwalia, visual artist Kate Davis and musician and acoustic installation artist David Cunningham will complete the ensemble.
By juxtaposing the unique presence of each artist, Mouth presents sounds that face you, words that clench. Call 01865 813800 for tickets (Tuesday - Sunday), booking essential.