Through Western music history performers have produced extraordinary technical achievements stretched by increasing demands in the scores of composers. In playing contemporary music players are often asked to expand their techniques and skills in how they play their instrument, the complexity of the notation that conveys this, and the performance process that surrounds it. On the other hand Britain also has a very fine tradition of free improvisation, once again involving musicians using a multiplicity of instrumental techniques, but out of their own improvised volition.
Other kinds of music (jazz, Indian) mix inherited instrumental technique with spontaneous invention.
The Institute is making a series of filmed interviews with senior performers about the evolution of their instrument, documenting conventional and extended techniques, and also their psychology and values in their approach to playing and creating.
Films so far have been made with ‘cellists Anton Lukoszevieze, Olly Coates and Adrian Bradbury, Tim Lines (clarinet) and Sarah Burnett (bassoon).
Further films will be made with Torbjorn Hultmark (trumpet), Graham Lee (trombone), Evan Parker (saxophone) and Juliet Fraser and James Weeks of Exaudi. We are grateful for help of Chris Jinks, Joel Bell and Terry Tiernan in the making of these films.