Centrifuge Q&A : Questions and answers
- I am a musicians interested in performing at Centrifuge: what should I do
- let Centrifuge know by
- Complete the centrifuge form [here ]
- Telephone : skype: timnetwork
- What is the original idea behind "Centrifuge"
- "The brief is that within an hours drive of Manchester there are many musicians who play free improvised music (and associated leaning) who generally do not meet and play on any significant basis : or so it seems. Somehow geography, boundaries keep them apart, where-as in London the same distances either measured in miles /or time traveled doesn't’t keep artists apart; i.e. there is more of a mixing up and playing together".
- Where did the idea come from?
- The idea originated from within Frakture: Liverpool, prob following conversations between Phil Morton and Ray Dickaty sometime around early 2006!
Phil Morton has moved the idea into action
- So who is organising Centrifuge?
- Frakture is managed the launch phase and the research phase 2008 - 2013
- On April 1st @ 11.00am 2014 Centrifuge was demerged from "Frakture.org" and became a stand alone project.
- Phil Morton is currently the sole curater of Centrifuge, you can join him if this is your wish.
- What is the reaction to this outline or proposal
- Generally very positive, there appears to be a real gap in the "market" or need for this provision.
- How often do they happen
- Up to Centrifuge #5 there has been no fixed schedule,however from Centrifuge #6 onwards we are planning to make the events bi-monthly.
- Location
- Manchester, Birmingham, Shefiield, and singular events at Huddersfield & Lancaster.
- What will be the concert format
- To be decided,
- plan A is that the night will consist or a series of sets between 10-20 minutes duration
- in a small group format 4-6 musicians.
- A large ensemble presentation is not being proposed at present.
- A musicians can expect to play for 40 minutes during the evenings presentation.
- Genre, Free Improvisation in music
- You need to have an awareness of the genre, if you are unsure, please google it, try wikipedia, checkout the media files within this website.
- I wish to play: Is there an audition
- Short answer: there is no audition,
- Second: there is not an open door policy to anyone who wishes to attend either,
a contradiction?
- In the absence of set criteria that illustrates / indicates composure, competency in "free improvisation in music" the following milestones are submitted. Centrifuges is looking for musicians who meet one or more of the following criteria.
- Organised their own groups, gigs and tours,
- Been invited to play @ gigs outside their home town.
- Have played outside the UK
- Have issued their won work work on CD/on-line
- The above list is a bi-product, a cv, of the qualities we are listening for.
- They refer to `free improvisation in music` not jazz or other assciated art forms.
- If they don't apply to you but you are still keen. OK, get in touch and talk about it.
- MONEY ; fees, expenses
- Short story, fees & expenses are not paid, they are not available as a "right"
- Commercial reality. Free improvisation audiences are very small and the revenues generated by the audience, can not be matched against the fees & expenses figure generated on the night by the musicians present.
- In the genre of free improvisation musicians need to fund their own career.
- Since its inception some fees and expenses have been paid, this is a relatively small figure. Given the high number of participants it is believed to be unrealistic to expect funding bodies to cover fees and expenses.
- Situation early 2014: no funding available,
- Future Funding NEW: Phil Morton hopes to increase the figure budgeted for musician expenses in future funding applications.
- ASK: There is no harm is asking! the following will help your case; a full vehicle; a new name for Centrifuge; interesting mix of instruments and artistic voices. Remember any award given is a "one-off", expenses are not paid as a "right". Please don't ask if on the answer being "no" the atmosphere becomes toxic.
- Will the event be recorded: audio
- Centrifuge propose to record the gig, either with professional DAT equipment or the portable ZOOM H4
- Other people will prob. make their own arrangements too.
- The recording will be made available to musicians via the web using the Flac format or mp3 format.
- CD's will posted at a charge, on request.
- It is possible that on the night audio recordings may be made available via flash card transfers?
- Will the event be recorded: video
- Centrifuge has acquired a camcorder and in time we will propose to video the event, subject to lighting.
- Other information.
