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Phillip Morton

Liverpool:UK Website curator
Site created in 2014 approx.
This has been a solitary enterprise.
He would welcome help!

Thursday, 15 June 2017 18:26

Blank Canvas Octet Premier Performance 19.07.2017

The Blank Canvas Octet play System 50:50

Published in Blank Canvas events

Tagged under

Thursday, 15 June 2017 17:01

Jigsaw Workshops Bangor and free improvisation, a project overview

This is a legacy item: this is of historial function only

Jigsaw is an open & public workshop/performance session exploring the nature and practice of free improvisation in music through a mixture of; the playing of the music, discussion and simple workshop routines.

Published in Resources & Support - Wales

Tagged under

legacy

Saturday, 23 November 2019 13:18

Ensemble 50:50 Liverpool - welcomes musicians 2025

Ensemble 50:50 Liverpool Is currently in limbo as we do not have enougth players interested and likely to attend.
If you are interested please make contact by using the registration form, and we will reply.

Published in Events North West Archive

Tagged under

Tuesday, 30 May 2017 10:43

MIO play 50:50

Merseyside Improvisers Orchestra play 50:50

The Friends Meeting House
School Lane
Liverpool

Saturday July 1st 8.00 pm
£5.00 and £3.00

Published in Merseyside archive events

Tagged under

Monday, 22 January 2018 10:13

Liverpool Quartet play 50:50

Liverpool quartet play system 50:50

The Liverpool quartet is a research and development group for the music system 50:50

Published in System 50 50 Merseyside

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Thursday, 11 May 2017 10:40

Improvathon 2017

Journey with us to the final frontier, because this year, Impropriety is going to space.

Published in Merseyside archive events

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Monday, 28 January 2019 06:30

Jigsaw Workshop Preston introduction

Jigsaw Workshops: Preston, the nature and practice of free⁽¹⁾ improvisation⁽²⁾ in music

Published in North West England

Tagged under

Tuesday, 12 May 2020 10:52

System 50:50 an introduction

System 50:50

The music system being offered here is called System 50:50.

Description

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.

+ - The use of clocks to deliver the aim Click to collapse

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

+ - In the beginning Click to collapse

The system was originally devised or created for use in workshops and for large ensembles playing free improvised music. The system can be used for ensembles of any size, and with any duration. The simplicity of the system management device ‘the adapted chess clock’ enables the delivery of a wide range of outcomes from the simple to the complex.

+ - Current concert opportunities and ensemble descriptions Click to collapse

Sessions take place online, Liverpool, Manchester, Oxford, London.
Ad hoc small ensembles
Follow this link to view the list of confirmed events: http://www.improvisersnetworks.online/itemlist/tag/System%2050:50

+ - Feedback & testamonials Click to collapse

Selected feedback 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 (Macclesfield), Blank Canvas Octet - Liverpool

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.” - Charlie Collins Sheffield

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. `It gives me permission to do nothing`

Helen Conning, Liverpool. It is democratic

+ - Services and support: Click to collapse

Phil Morton has twenty adapted chess clocks which are available to interested parties. System 50:50 is managed by praxis : arts and System 50:50 has access to the resources of praxis : arts.

+ - To make contact and register your interest Click to collapse

What happens next: To express an interest: complete the form in the tab marked form or Contact Phil Morton: philmorton@improvisersnetwork.co.uk :

With thanks to:
Phil Morton has worked on this concept for some time - 10 years - but he acknowledges with thanks the recent input from the following: Martin Hacket (Oxford Improvisers), Robin Hartwell (Liverpool ) and the Centrifuge wiki-network (North).

System 50:50
P Morton: May 2017