Sat 3/4 @ 8-9:30PM
Stephan Haluska, who is a faculty member at The Music Settlement, is active in Cleveland’s experimental/improvisational music scene. But he stands out for the unique instrument he brings to the mix: harp — the large, stringed kind. He confounds conventional ideas of how the instrument should sound and the contexts in which it’s used, usually to suggest an “angelic” sound. He discovers a vast variety of sounds in it, exploring its harmonic, percussive and textural potential, through both traditional and extended techniques as well as special preparations, electronics processing and tools.
That’s why he’s a natural fit for Cleveland’s No Exit New Music which promotes concerts as well as performs them. They’ll be presenting him at SPACES for an evening of avant-garde compositions, all of which incorporate improvisation to some degree.
No Exit’s artistic director Timothy Beyer just can’t stop enthusing! “Stephan is truly an amazing artist, a very talented harpist, an accomplished improviser, and someone who is imbued with the spirit of musical experimentation. He is engaged in making things happen in the Northeast Ohio arts and new music community in many ways and on many levels. He’s a remarkable fellow overall.”
This remarkable fellow’s program includes pieces by four composers including himself. His own I give in joins Carol Finer’s Magic Carpet No. 2, Yasunao Tone’s 10 Haikus of Matsuo Basho, and Rhodri Davies’ Acqua alta. All involve working with non-musical elements to help determine the direction of the piece. For instance, of his own, Haluska says, I give in is an improvisational work for prepared solo harp that uses fragmented excerpts of Toi Derricotte’s poem, ‘I give in to an old desire.’ These excerpts are printed on paper as text and woven between the harp strings as the piece progresses, adding a programmatic narrative while altering the sound of the harp.”
The other pieces on the program use similar tactics to guide the performance.
As always, No Exit’s concerts are free and open to all. For more info, go to noexitnewmusic.