About this session
Phil Morton has been working with the Music System 50:50 for improvisers for twenty-four years. His work explores the possibilities and the limitations of freedom and improvisation in music. Today for Phil Morton System 50:50 is still the gift that keeps giving! How can this be so? How can an adapted chess clock used in System 50:50 open the doors of perception, our ears to the possibilities and limits of freedom in sound? One answer is that the device enables the creative and positive use of silence within the music; the silence is active and not a problem. The use of silence is egalitarian, too; the members of the ensemble have the same allowance of free play, tacet to create something new in a musical sense owned by those present. The outcome in the fine tradition of the Noise Upstairs is a work of beauty created in the moment or to have our hearts (minds and ears) broken!
hearing is believing,
hear it for yourself on the 14th Novermber 2024!
ENESEMBLE 50:50 MANCHESTER, PLAYERS AND IMPROVISERS;
ALISTAIR ZALDUA, violin
GEOFF BRIGHT, reeds
GILL WHITELY, violine, maybe hurdy gurdy
GRAEME SHERRIF, keyboards
PHIL MORTON,accidents and treatments
SIXTH SEAT, to be confirmed.
THE AIM IS TO.
To explore the possibilities of freedom and improvisation and their limitations.
To shape the sound with silence.
To shape the ensemble size: moment by moment..
To empower the musicians with agency, they shape the music through active listening.
DATE: 14.11.2024
DOORS: 19.00
START TIME: 20.30
ADMISSION, free or by donation.
Fuel Café Bar
448 Wilmslow Road
Manchester, England M20 3BW
about NUS
The Noise Upstairs: Session description.
- Small groups. 20.30
- Main act. Ensemble 50:50 Manchester
- Small groups. TBC
The cornerstone of The Noise Upstairs has always been its monthly held improv nights. During these events the audience is invited to participate as performers. By pulling names randomly (literally out of a hat) trios are formed and are given the stage to explore and exhaust their impromptu work. This encourages an open dialogue among musicians and artists, building dynamics that may not have formed organically otherwise. Currently, these nights are run
MANCHESTER at Fuel Cafe on the second Thursday of every month, from 8:30pm to 11:00pm
Venue: Fuel Cafe Bar, 448 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 3BW
The noise upstairs open facebook group is here
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenoiseupstairs/
Website. www.thenoiseupstairs.com
About the enemble
About
The Ensemble 50:50 - Manchester will play free improvisation in music using `System 5050 for improvisers`.
The ensemble may feature between 7-16 players.
Proposition
Proposition is that: System 50:50 is the go to tool for developing free ensembles improvisation in larger numbers, say over 7 improvisers, and System 50:50 for improvisers disposes with the need for external referential strategies (noted below). To uncover the strengths and limits of free ensemble improvisation. It support a social music.
The Curator
Phil Morton, the curator of the sessions has been working on System 50:50 for improvisers for 20 years, with a intense research practice during 2017-2022.
This research has taken in a wide brief that has included over 100 weekly sessions with experienced players through a one of session with London Improvisers Orchestra (24 players) and ad hoc trios.
What has happened so far
There have been 500 session plus featuring System 50:50 for improvisers featuring ensembles and groups from three to thirty.
If you are interested in an ensemble music. a large ensemble music that is made without prior preparation the evidence supports the lsitening that this offer works, it is rewarding and it is fun FUN.
Strengths and limits of System 50:50
There are two ways of looking and listening to System 50:50 for improvisers output and development: to uncover the strengths and limits of free improvisation and secondly: it is a practice that can stand alone, it has its own strenghts and limits that are for the moment, unique and revolutionary. That the later will be the case until something new comes along.
For this Ensemble there will be no
- Conduction
- Compositions,
- Graphic scores
- Game strategies
- Contemporary composition techniques
- Or the hand picking of musicians who meet a personal aesthetic value and brief.
About System 50:50 for improvisers
Please refer to the `about System 50:50` tab for more information on System 50:50 for improvisers. .
Interested?
go to the registration tab to add your name to the contact list, we will be in touch when we are good to go!
On a good night the sessions may looks like this, another night the room will be empty:
this lack of consistency is the challenge for this project .
When? Enesemble 50:50 schedule
Due to problems finding a venues, a lack of funding, it will be a struggle to set out a cohesive schedule.
Watch the website and social media for updates, here is the currect schedule for 2024
- 2024 01 13, a Saturday at the Peer Hat, 1pm - 4 pm.
- 2024 February no date, no venue
- 2024 March, no date, no venue.
- 2024 April 13th, a Saturday, at the Peer hat, 1pm - 4pm
- 2024 - November 14th at Noise Upstairs, Manchester
Criteria for participation.
All levels of ability and experience are welcome.
To express an interest:in the Ensemble 50:50 - Manchester:UK please complete form to be found in the registration tab
or Contact Phil Morton: philmorton@improvisersnetwork.co.uk :
Top tip:
- In the field, event please enter Ensemble 50:50 - Manchester:
- in the field, location or region, please put Manchester
- If you are interested in the hybrid element: that is online on zoom as well as in a room: pleae mention this in the comments section
About System 50:50
The goal is
- to encourage music created in the moment by those present.
- to encourage music created by ensembles of three to thirty musicians. to support large ensembles to play free.
- to explore the possibilities of freedom and improvisation and their limitations.
The approach is
- To shape the sound with silence,
- To shape the ensemble size moment by moment.,
- To empower the musicians with agency over their contribution.
- To shape the music through active listening.
Description
The duration of the piece is agreed before the start of the performance..
A performer must play for 50% of the duration of the piece and remain silent for 50% of the duration of the piece
Example
If the duration of the piece is 16 minutes, the performer plays for 8 minutes and is silent for 8 mins. Each player is free to choose when they play and when they are silent within the duration of the piece but they must have a 50/50 balance between playing and being silent. It is expected that each player will improvise their music.
Quick summary using 50:50 ratio
Each player `improvises` for 50% of the piece
Each player is `tacet` for 50% of the piece
The totals are aggregated
Each player/improviser has their own clock and manages their own time
Each player has `agency` over the content they share during the performance.
System 50:50 for improvisers - Click the link for a detailed description and history.
https://www.improvisersnetworks.online/system-50-50-an-introduction
Delivered by the primary and preferred time management option:
Mechanical chess clocks are required to facilitate the aim of the system. One of the pair of dials is called ‘tacet’ and the other ‘free play’.See image above. Each performer has an individual chess clock to monitor and manage their contribution. The performer plays when the ‘free play’ dial is running down and is silent when the ‘tacet’ dial is running down.
Youtube demonstration, Duration 1 minute Ratio 50:50 or 1:1 Content, is speech, status managed by the rocker (lever): URL LINK
Link to image of an adapted chess clock URL LINK
Selected feedback about system 50:50
Simon Ross (Macclesfield), Blank Canvas Octet - Liverpool
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 more cooperative. Ends well.
Charlie Collins Sheffield
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.”
Dan Goren, Oxford Improvisers.
`"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"
Richard Harding Liverpool.
``Sometimes in free improv it is just not working but we carry on in the hope it will get better, in system 50:50 if it (free improv) is not working one can select tacet and stop playing`
Jon Aveyard, Lecturer UCLan University England
`It gives me permission to do nothing`
Helen Conning, Liverpool.
It is democratic
Maggie Nicol - West Wales.
I want to buy twelve 50:50 clocks
The Open House online session supports
- Ensemble improvisations made without prior preparation.
- Using Zoom break-out rooms means we can support any number of participants.
- Open access - there is no peer-to-peer review of applicants - all levels of musical experience are welcome.
- You can bring whatever is in your sonic toolbox.
- An online session to support a hybrid working pattern for improvisers.
- It will increase your frequency of playing and ensemble improvisations.
Zoom Supports.
- You do not have to travel to the venue, come rain or shine.
- The participants will come from a more extensive geographical capture.
- A different social, community vibe - you are often face to face with everyone in the room.
- In Zoom, it is a simple process for the host to record a session. The Zoom host can share the recordings to support your interest and development in playing improvised music.
System 50:50 for improvisers supports.
- The shaping of sound with silence
- The shaping of the ensemble with tacet.
- System 50:50 works well on Zoom.
Here is what Simon Ross wrote about System 50:50
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 more cooperative. Ends well. Simon Ross
Office use
{slider=venues}
tab=Venue}
slider=Peer Hat}
The Peer Hat Manchester is one of the venues under consideration.
More detail on the venue(s) are to follow soon.
/slider}
slider=Fuel Bar}
Venue: Fuel Cafe Bar, 448 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 3BW
tab=Online Sessions}
Zoom - Online sessions: The creative alternative
The Hybrid solution to artistic and social isolation.
if you cannot attend the `in the flesh` sessions we have the post covid solution that is a new normal: we can meet online!
The zoom not in the room sessions take place on a Monday on zoom at 19.00 hours
Action
If you are interested in the on-line sessions please complete the form on the registration tab and add a comment in the `comments` box that you are interested in the zoom sessions.