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Zubin Kanga performs new and recent works that combine the piano with live electronics, video, robotics, haptic metronomes, sensor gloves and a new glass instrument. It includes the world premiere of Louis d’Heudieres’ Reflects dans Sequana, a speculative fiction about Debussy's piano music and a Celtic river goddess cult. Making use of a sampler keyboard, electronics and video, it looks at traditional piano music through a warped lens, incorporating themes of pianistic technique, romantic hero-worship, and ritual cleansing. Robert Reid Allan uses a TouchKeys keyboard to transform an interview with a queer mentor about generational changes in queer life and culture. Joanna Ward utilises a set of robotic mechanisms, built by instrument-maker Sam Underwood, that allow the inside of the piano to be played remotely. Georgia Rodgers explores the psycho-acoustic effects of combining the piano with pure sine tones. Zubin Kanga’s uses MiMU sensor gloves to morph and granulate the visceral and violent sounds of steel tools inside the piano. And Luke Nickel combines five Soundbrenner’s haptic metronomes with dreamlike roller-coaster visuals and electronics (created using the AI tools of Holly+) in a play of vertiginous tempi across limbs.

Hidden Vortices is part of Cyborg Soloists, based at Royal Holloway, University of London and supported by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship.

Programme:

Robert Reid Allan, Do you still share coming out stories still? (2022)

Joanna Ward, Full and Hollow (2022)

Georgia Rodgers, Ringinglow (2021)

Zubin Kanga, Steel on Bone (2021)

Louis d'Heudieres, Reflects dans Sequana (world premiere)

Luke Nickel, hhiiddeenn vvoorrttiicceess (2022)