Introduction
South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street, Oxford, OX1 4RP
Sunday 22.10.2023, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
(actual event 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm)
£5 per person
An exciting project to participate in, to witness and to hear.
Ensemble 50;50 Oxford will explore free improvisation in a large ensemble context. The ensemble will use the ‘System 50:50 for improvisers` - where chess clocks are used to bring space into the sound field. The result is a dynamic and shifting canvas of sound that allows small discreet sounds to be heard and deeper layers to be felt and expressed.
Phil Morton (Liverpool) has developed System 50:50 for improvisers over a period of twenty years, during that time he has received support from many individuals and organisations. This concert brings together two such threads and connections, Oxford Improvisers and Chris Hill (London) .
This is an exciting musical and social development, open to all who wish to partake, as player or just listener.
This event is hosted by South Oxford Arts - it is jointly convened by Phil Morton (Liverpool), Chris Hill (London), and The Oxford Improvisers
Contact
This is an exciting musical and social development, open to all who wish to partake as player or listener.
Please contact
- Oxford area
- London area: Chris Hill: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the curators
about Oxford Improvisers
The process of performing music from a fully notated score, something that tells the player exactly what notes to play and how to play them is historically a relatively new phenomenon, and is still unknown in many cultures today. Free Music reconnects with the very roots of music-making wherein, a player may use any instrument to make music without the strictures of a formal composition. What results is an expression of that particular instrument, the skill and imagination of the player and the effects of the moment. It is in this respect the purest form of music making.
read more
http://oxfordimprovisers.com/about/
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Free Music
The process of performing music from a fully notated score, something that tells the player exactly what notes to play and how to play them is historically a relatively new phenomenon, and is still unknown in many cultures today. Free Music reconnects with the very roots of music-making wherein, a player may use any instrument to make music without the strictures of a formal composition. What results is an expression of that particular instrument, the skill and imagination of the player and the effects of the moment. It is in this respect the purest form of music making.
Today free music is an internationally respected approach that embraces players from the worlds of jazz, classical, experimental and ethnic music. By putting aside the rules and structures that enclose so many forms of music including improvisation allows players of widely differing training and technical ability to come together and to create extraordinarily diverse and rich music ‘in the moment’.
Oxford Improvisers welcomes all players of all levels who are interested in exploring new paths to music. Players can come to the Monday evening sessions freely and without any prior experience. We ask only that you have an open mind, a willingness to listen, to respond and to enjoy.
Although free music does not restrict a player to specific keys, time signatures or harmonic structures there are numerous approaches and strategies that are used to draw the best out of a specific group of players. Oxford Improvisers is constantly seeking to further the boundaries of music-making through its weekly open sessions, monthly concerts, workshops and large scale events and collaborations.
Oxford Improvisers
Oxford Improvisers was established in 2001 to continue the work begun by the Oxford Improvisers’ Co-operative in the 1980s with the following objectives:
1. To promote the performance of improvised music in the Oxford area primarily by musicians living, studying and working in the area. This performance can freely improvised; or by integration with graphic, textual and other minimally notated scores.1
2. To promote a culture of listening and meaningful dialogue in the performance of improvised music. Improvised music is not seen as a display of isolated virtuosic ability but as a sensitive intercommunication between individuals and audience. We do not see music as a universal language, but a set of agreed methods of communication by a particular community. We aim to facilitate interaction between the many different musical cultures that co-exist within Oxford.
The Oxford Improvisers membership includes over 30 musicians, each of whom contribute uniquely, supporting a broad range of co-existent perspectives. Currently expanding in membership, we always very much welcome new members as well as visiting artists.
Julian Faultless
Since 2001 Oxford Improvisers has staged and promoted nearly 200 events including four Cohesion Festivals and featuring hundreds of musicians, dancers and visual artists of every kind. Details of all these events will be available again on this website soon.
Performances are run by members of the collective and frequently feature visiting and invited practitioners. To raise the standard of local music we also promote concerts by outstanding artists of international stature. Weekly session provide practical experience and training in improvisation. Workshops are run by members of the collective or invited practitioners, usually as part of larger events run by or contributed to by Oxford Improvisers.
Oxford Improvisers work closely with a number of key local organisations, including Oxford Brookes University, Oxford University, The Old Firestation, Oxfringe Festival, Pegausus Theatre, Modern Art Oxford. The organisation has also established an excellent record in attracting funding from various sources including Arts Council England and Oxford City Council.
Operating as a collective, Oxford Improvisers current executive committee are:
Mark Browne – Chair
Jill Elliott – Treasurer
Dan Goren – Secretary
Martin Hackett – Membership Officer
1. Oxford Improvisers are committed to the principles of equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination in every aspect of our work. We strive to ensure that no individual or group is treated more or less favourably than others on grounds of ethnic origin, nationality, age disability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion
Babble&Squeak
Chris Hill is co-promotes Ensemble 50:50 - London with Phil Morton who lives in Liverpool.
Here are some notes about Chris Hill's babble&Squeak series in London.
Babble&Squeak is an irregular performance forum for the performance of free improvisation and experimental music.
Babble&Squeak celebrates the joyousness and insights free improvisation elicits and the musical challenges of spontaneous composition.
If you interested in taking part in a Babble&Squeak event please contact me, Chris Hill, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for future dates.
You can also contact him about Ensemble 50:50 London activities.
Phil Morton (Liverpool:UK) developed this system during a ten year, nay 20 year period. Phil Morton has been active in `free improvisation` as a player, promoter, teacher, since 1998 and as a listener since 1968. He commends this project `to the house` to the genre of free improvisation, as a unique methodology that unpicks the complexity of this music, its sounds, our reactions and emotions using a simple method. Phil Morton's personal belief is that this is a gift that will keep on giving. A bold statement, it maybe a fallacy, or of substance, the research process will explore this and find out. If you would like to be involved, contribute, debate, whether you are local or global please make contact.
Phil Morton
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Biography:
https://www.improvisersnetworks.online/wiki/index.php?title=Phil_Morton_(Musician)
Event Details
22.10.2023
Doors: 14.00
Start time. 14.30
Closure. 17:30
Admission: £5.00
Venue
South Oxford Community Centre, Oxford.
Lake Street, Oxford, OX1 4RP
System 50:50
This is a project exploring free ensemble improvisation in music in a large ensemble context. It uses the ‘system 50:50` - where chess clocks are used to bring cohesion to the sound field which can often become cluttered. The result is a dynamic and shifting canvas of sound that allows small discreet sounds to be heard and deeper layers to be felt and expressed. An exciting project to participate in, to witness and to hear.
What they say about System 50;50 for improvisers
Charlie Collins, improviser, Sheffield wrote on system 50:50 “Definitely something with LOADS of possibilities - the reaction in the car driving back was unbelievably positive - no one could remember playing in a large ensemble that was so "open". The openness allowed me to play quietly, which meant the dynamics were incredible for an improvising large ensemble.” -
Another point of listening comes from Simon Ross, Macclesfield. `System 50/50 works well - it’s a really good way to get a group to play effectively without egos, virtuosity, and shyness getting in the way. It is democratic, inclusive, coherent, leaderless, focused, there is room to think and time to listen, choices. It is less competitive and more cooperative. Ends well.`
It seems to me that any attempt to restrict what free improvisers play, presents a threat to the core nature of their music. Generally, 'To play or not play' is about as far as any predetermination can productively go, the player retaining (almost!) complete formal agency regarding when and what(s)he decides to play - Dan Goren Oxford Improvisers
More information about system 50:50 here
https://www.improvisersnetworks.online/system-50-50-an-introduction
Venue
South Oxford Community Centre, Oxford.
Lake Street, Oxford, OX1 4RP
Parking limited to residents. Redbridge Park and Ride is convenient.
Bus stop ‘Lake Street’.
X2 Bus from Rail Station.