Focussed on the Southbank Centre, the Ether Festival is a celebration of left field arts and music.
Capturing a number of high profile performers, the event is set to kick off tonight (October 5th) with a performance from German types the Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble. As usual, expect mind expanding electronics fused with a Krautrock sense of twisted rhythm with a classical sensibility, twisting and turning in front of your eyes.
Next week, one time Battles cohort turned solo performer Tyondai Braxton is set to perform at the Southbank. Working with the London Sinfonietta, the show opens with a flurry of pieces courtesy of Ingram Marshall, Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu and The National's Bryce Dessner. The latter half, meanwhile, finds Braxton re-visiting his solo album 'Central Market' in the company of some of Britain's finest avant garde musicians.
Taking place on October 9th, it's clearly not an event you can allow to slip through your grasp. By way of a preview, ClashMusic asked Tyondai Braxton if he would supply us with a quick guide to his favourite contemporary composers. Here's what he said.
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Edgard Varese: I've been going back to Varese over and over for years. Ameriques and Arcana have always been favorites. He did more for the art of sound design in his era than anyone.
Edgar Varése: Poème électronique (1958)
Igor Stravinsky: Stravinsky is still my guy. I enjoy digging up different recordings of his work as it always ends up reinventing his pieces for me, particularly his ballets.
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps)
Black Dice: My favorite band in NY. Innovative, primitive, sophisticated.
Black Dice – Pigs
Anthony Braxton: Aside from his musical innovations and staggering musical ability, his philosophic and conceptual ideas puts his whole body of work in a whole new realm.
Anthony Braxton – Impressions
Philip Glass: Another giant in my life. Helped to define a whole new movement, not just in music but in art.
Philip Glass – Glassworks
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Tyondai Braxton plays the Ether festival on October 9th.
