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The Metapraxis Ensemble is a London-based, flexible group of musicians and collaborators, established in early 2009. Our events (scroll down for our  portfolio) focus on presenting contemporary music, often in conjunction with compositions from older eras, structured around a certain narrative, and reinforced by extra-musical elements. Allowing some sort of theatrical elements to emerge, our projects are presented as single units, often featuring video projections, movement, text reading and staging / lighting effects.

We always aim to create a unique performing environment in accordance to the tone and texture of each of those events, and the same goes for projects we  engage with through associated artists and organisations. As a result, we are deeply commited in creating collaborations, and experimenting with the adoption of a wide variety of art forms: some of those previously explored include (shadow) theatre, dance, video, puppetry, and design/construction.

Metapraxis events have been produced in venues all over London, such as at LSO St Lukes, IKLECTIK, Cafe OTO, TripSpace, The Space, Iris, The Cockpit, Chelsea & Blue Elephant theatres, as well as at educational institutions (Brunel, Goldsmiths, Guildhall, Huddersfield, Leeds, etc). Support has been generously prvided by the Arts Council England and Hinrichsen Foundation.

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THE TEAM

Daniel Figols Cuevas (cello)
Gregory Emfietzis (director/aux)
Neil Georgeson (keyboards)
Wai Nok Angela Hui (percussion)
Ilze Ikse (flutes)
Myrto Loulaki (voice)

Artistic Advisor: Christopher Fox
Education Advisor: Roz De Vile
Marketing Advisor: Anna Chourdaki
Marketing Advisor: Anna Chourdaki
Producer: Alma Daskalaki
Stage Director: Mayra Stergiou

Metapraxis IV @Chelsea Theatre

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 3, 2019 | 11.00AM M9: Music:Building FAMILY OPEN DAY IKLECTIK, London, UK Book your tickets here * OCTOBER 8, 2019 | 10.00AM M9: Music:Building Jubilee Primary, London, UK * JUNE 2, 2019 | 8:30PM M7: Winter Journey Cafe OTO, London, UK * APRIL 13, 2019 | 7:30PM M7: Winter Journey Omnibus Theatre, London, UK * FEBRUARY 2, 2019 | 8:00PM M7: Winter Journey Hundred Years Gallery, London, UK * JANUARY 29, 2019 | 1:00PM Borough New Music Series 12: Gregory Emfietzis Borough New Music Concert Series St George the Martyr, London, UK * NOVEMBER 15, 2018 | 8:45PM M6: Sisyphus Distressing VOILA! Europe Festival The Cockpit, London, UK * JULY 4, 2018 | 8:00PM M6: Sisyphus Distressing Cafe Oto, London, UK * MARCH 27, 2018 | 8:00PM M6: Sisyphus Distressing Blue Elephant Theatre, London, UK * NOVEMBER 7, 2017 | 8:00PM M6: Sisyphus Distressing IKLECTIK, London, UK * MAY 8, 2015 | 7:30PM MAY 9, 2015 | 7:30PM L’antigonie TripSpace Projects, London, UK * JUNE 15, 2013 | 3:30PM Music Impossible All Saints Church, London, UK * MAY 24, 2013 | 7:30PM MAY 25, 2013 | 4:00PM MAY 25, 2013 | 7:30PM MAY 26, 2013 | 7:30PM Music Impossible Iris Theatre, St Paul’s Church London, Covent Garden, UK * MAY 18, 2013 | 7:30PM Music Impossible LSO Soundhub Showcase LSO St Luke’s, London, UK * OCT 26, 2012 | 1:15PM [Post]Analogue Leeds University, Leeds, UK * FEB 27, 2012 | 1:15PM [Post]Analogue Goldsmiths University, London, UK * OCT 25, 2011 | 8:00PM [Post]Analogue St Anne’s Church, London, UK * JUN 16, 2011 | 3:15PM M5: The DIY Series Researching the Arts Conference Brunel University, London, UK * APR 3, 2011 | 2:00PM Selection of works Japan Tsunami Appeal Concert Red Cross Fundraising Gordons School, Surrey, UK * MAR 10, 2011 | 8:30PM Selection of works Chaos Theory Night Blagclub, London, UK * NOV 28, 2010 | 4:00PM M4: A Dream Within A Dream EKON Festival Theatro Technis, London, UK * NOV 18, 2010 | 8:00PM M4: A Dream Within A Dream Music Orbit’s Showcase Chelsea Theatre, London, UK * JUL 18, 2010 | 5:00PM Liquid Evolution World Listening Project 2012 East London Soundscapes London, UK * JUL 16, 2010 | 8:00PM DIY 1 World Listening Project 2012 (preview) Cafe Oto, London, UK * JUL 13, 2010 | 4:00PM M3 GSMD New Music Festival Guildhall SMD, London, UK * FEB 19, 2010 | 8:00PM M2 The Space, London, UK * FEB 17, 2010 | 3:00PM M2 Brunel University, London, UK * FEB 16, 2010 | 1:00PM Research Seminar: Gregory Emfietzis Roehampton University, London, UK * NOV 26, 2009 | 1:00PM M2 Roehampton University, London, UK

(scroll down)

PORTFOLIO: METAPRAXIS PROJECTS & OTHER ENGAGEMENTS


Metapraxis VII:
Winter Journey
[2019]


Metapraxis VI:
Sisyphus Distressing
[2017/18]


Aline Derderian:
L’Antigonie
[2014/15]


Gregory Emfietzis:
Music Impossible
[2012/13]


Underscore
[Post]Analogue
[2011/12]


Metapraxis V:
the DIY series
[2011]


Metapraxis IV:
a dream [within a dream]
[2010]

 


World Listening Project:
Liquid Evolution
[2010]


World Listening Project:
Do It Yourself 1
[2010]


Metapraxis III:
Silence (e)Sound muSic noiSe
[2010]


METAPRAXIS II:
…FLOW MY TEARS…
[2009]


Metapraxis Ensemble @2019 - All rights reserved

METAPRAXIS VII: WINTER JOURNEY

Artwork from Pip Woolf's collection 'Winterreise'

The Winter Journey is an audiovisual collage, structured on elements taken from or inspired by Franz Schubert's Winterreise, narrating refugee memories in their displacement travel to the unknown. It is an openly collaborative venture, initiated as a response to the current humanitarian crisis developing in a global level. This is also leading to the ensemble's 10th birthday!

A young refugee on a boat stranded in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, is reading what's left from an old diary: remembering/re-learning his/her own life story.’

As part of this, we are experimenting with blending Schubert’s lieder with notions from Samuel Beckett’s works Krapp's Last Tape and Ohio Impromptu and Winterreise-inspired artworks by visual artist Pip Woolf. There has been considerable research in academia and elsewhere on connecting the above (there is a very interesting joint between Beckett and Winterreise, and you might experience some of that in our show), and we are aiming to take it further by linking them with our refugee story. But the cherry on top of this venture are the new works we commisioned to composers and sound artists (up to now: Lucy Callen, Daniel Fígols, Scott Mc Laughlin, and Ruta Vitkauskaite), and the existing works we are incorporating (up to now: Gregory Emfietzis, and Christopher Fox) for vintage reel-to-reel tape machines, voices and instruments, and... mobile phones!

So far, this journey has-taken/is-taking us to the Hundred Years Gallery (Feb'19), Omnibus Theatre (Apr'19) and Cafe OTO (Jun'19), and the musicians involved include Gregory Emfietzis (violin/aux.instr), Daniel Figols (cello/electronics), Neil Georgeson (piano), Angela Hui (percussion), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Loukia Loulaki (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Damian Posse (d.bass).

* With this opportunity, we are fundraising for the refugee-supporting organisations: THREE PEAS, Big Leaf Foundation, and Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (click on their names to learn more about their extremely important work in the UK and Greece).

METAPRAXIS VI: SISYPHUS DISTRESSING

7/11: Sisyphus Distressing @IKLECTIK, London

After several years without one of 'our own' projects, with some new and some older faces, and additional extra gear, we touched base with the Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing. In agreement with the traditional ...à la Metapraxis structure, seven pieces have been (dis-)joined, merged, and linked in varying ways, in order to form a single unit. That was also our debut at IKLECTIK, a very welcoming and flexible venue, particularly for the type of events we tend to put on! - Metapraxis 11/2017

We turn toward God only to obtain the impossible. As for the possible, men suffice. - Albert Camus

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

A music (with a pinch of theatre) performance, was presented on the 7th of November (Albert Camus's birthday anniversary), bringing to life a narrative based on the myth of Sisyphus: an avant-garde sonic environment full of experimental, theatrical and visual elements, intersecting with the absurd narration of the well-known myth (as it was seen by Camus). This project was conceived as the second part of a music and theatre trilogy, based on Camus's notion of revolt: "the attitude of heroic defiance or resistance to whatever oppresses human beings". The first part of it can be seen here (performed by the LSO).

The development and production of Sisyphus Victimised have been generously supported by the Hinrichsen Foundation.

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distrssing [2017/18]

Sisyphus Distressing relates the absurdity of man's life with the situation of Sisyphus (our protagonist), an iconic image from Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. The key points we explore are: endless repetition, meaninglessness, struggle, failure, and hope. The work of the Algerian/French philosopher Albert Camus on Sisyphus is playing a major role on this exploration. The other crucial element of our performance, the mirror, comes from Grimm Brothers' Evil Queen (antagonist of Snow White).

Sisyphus Distressing is a sonic venture in flexible format. The content of each performance is partly altered as our focus switches between different key points. The project started with a set number of Emfietzis’s existing compositions: sonic works involving various non-musical elements, such as gestures, acting, lights, design. It has since been continuously developing, and thus each of the FOUR previous performances (at IKLECTIK, Blue Elephant Theatre, Cafe OTO & The Cockpit Theatre) were substantially different!

Living is keeping the absurd alive. - Albert Camus

The Metapraxis
Gregory Emfietzis (composition/devising/production), Neil Georgeson (piano/narration), Angela Hui (percussion), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Loukia Loulaki (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Susan Merrick (integrated BSL interpretation), Rebecca Raimondi (violin)

The supporting crew
Kyveli Anastasiadi (videographer), Edd Cross (video producer), Alma Daskalaki (co-producer), Alex Lesseps (videographer), Matt London (audio engineer), Damian Posse (co-producer, videographer), Mayra Stergiou (stage director)

Metapraxis VI: Rebecca Raimondi

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

Metapraxis VI: Myrto Loulaki

Metapraxis VI: Neil Georgeson

Metapraxis VI: Angela Hui & Ilze Ikse

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

ALINE DERDERIAN: L'ANTIGONIE

8 & 9/5/2015: L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects, London

A piece of contemporary music and dance by the Consensus Dance Company, attempting to re-contextualise the myth of Antigone, as seen through the eyes of Jean Cocteau. It explores the physicality of the characters as well as the embodiment of frustration and tragedy.

“We have only a little time to please the living. But all eternity to love the dead.” - Sophocles

Choreographer Aline Derderian, in collaboration with composer Gregory Emfietzis (following their previous work Défigure sur la plage inerte that can be seen here) and the Metapraxis Ensemble, finds an opportunity to pay tribute to her Armenian origins for the hundred anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915. In the challenge that is diffusing contemporary performance towards Armenian community and vice versa, Consensus Dance Company showcased its work at TripSpace Projects, London on May 8th and 9th 2015, and on the 8th of October, in Yerevan (Armenia), during the HighFest 2o15 .

The development of this project has been generously supported by the Arts Council England.

-R5EPfJ2pAwkyPRyCWL4eKs-Nr5vghISQ2wlMRE2YxM

Metapraxis Ensemble during L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

The dancing cast:
Sarah Adjou, Alessio Capelli, Aline Derderian, Ughetta Pratesi, Paolo Rosini

The Metapraxis:
George Barton (percussion), Rosha Fitzhowle (voice), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Matt London (saxohones), Andrew Power (cello)

L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

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L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

GREGORY EMFIETZIS: MUSIC IMPOSSIBLE

18/5/2013: Music Impossible @LSO St Lukes, London

In a city from which music has been forcefully banned, a group of citizens secretly manages to discover the truth about the missing sounds and colours. This is a theatrical music performance, devised and composed by Gregory Emfietzis, and presented as a shadow puppetry show. Based on Myrto Loulaki's fairy tale, it follows Roger on his mysterious journey, full of thrills and action, as he strives to find a way to destroy all evil.

The development and production of this project have been generously supported by the Arts Council England and the London Symphony Orchestra (through the LSO Soundhub scheme). The above recordings have been taken from the preview performance of Music Impossible at LSO St Lukes and the subsequent performances at Iris Theatre, Covent Garden.

The collaborative team
Gregory Emfietzis - Composer/Dramatist, Charlotte Ive - Stage Director, Ingrid Hu - Scenographer, Jo Lakin - Puppet Designer & Puppeteer

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Anne Chauveau (cello), Guillermina Chivite (violin), Chris Goodman (clarinet), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Andriana Minou (piano)

Metapraxis Ensemble during Music Impossible @LSO St Luke's

Metapraxis Ensemble during Music Impossible @LSO St Luke's

UNDERSCORE: [POST]ANALOGUE

Underscore: [Post]Analogue

A collaboration of Gregory Emfietzis and Nicholas Peters (aka Underscore) exploring the nature, function, and physicality of reel-to-reel tape machines. Following is an introduction about [Post]Analogue by Nicholas Peters [29/06/11].

The simple answer is curiosity, I’d never seen a reel to reel tape machine live and through John Cage and Steve Reich was really intrigued about working with tape. Particularly in Reich’s case the question and fascination over ‘how tape machines made music’ was one driving force behind the choice of reel to reel tape machines as Underscore’s first project.

The other inspiration came when I randomly went to a production of Samuel Beckett’s play ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ at my local theatre in Taunton, Somerset. As much as the use of reel to reel tape machine was the performance space layout with the male actor sat at a desk at the front with the audience sat in straight lines facing inwards on the other three sides of the square space.

As for the title of the project, it is a comment from Carl Rosman upon a question I asked in a workshop at Darmstadt on composing for Clarinet between him and Rebecca Saunders (composer).

Underscore performing Christopher Fox's 'Three-way accumulator'

[Post]Analogue was initiated around the following works for tape:

Gregory Emfietzis
A Monologue (2011), 10″, for two reel to reel tape machines and one performer.

Christopher Fox
Three-way accumulator (2011), 5″, for three voices and one reel to reel tape machine.
Three Constructions after Kurt Schwitters (1993), 20″, for tape.

Anton Lukoszevieze
Lithuania Dreaming (2011), 8″, for one reel to reel tape machine.

Nicholas Peters
Workhouse (2011), 12″, for one reel to reel tape machine.

METAPRAXIS V: THE DIY SERIES

The fifth Metapraxis projects presents the DIY series, a series of closely related works by Gregory Emfietzis, exploring the theatricality of music performance. In these works, the praxis – in our case the musical actions – becomes part of some sort of theatrical performance (implemented theatricality), often combined with the metapraxis – in our case the nonmusical, theatrical actions. Thus musical performance in its original form becomes part of a dramatic scenario, while the performers become figures with specific personal characteristics.

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

METAPRAXIS IV: ... A DREAM [WITHIN A DREAM] ...

The fourth Metapraxis project includes live music performance, dead electronics, dead video projections (which seem to come alive every now and then), living and dead composers, some dead instruments and a ghost messing around...

Compositions by:
Samuel Barber, Gregory Emfietzis, Bright Sheng, Caroline Wilkinson

Scenography by: Paul Gittins

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

WORLD LISTENING PROJECT: LIQUID EVOLUTION

Composer Gregory Emfietzis and choreographer Mariana Lucia Marquez weave together sound and movement developed from her daily dance meditations by Lavender Pond and the Thames in South East London. In dialogue with musicians Myrto Loulaki (singer, multi-instrumentalist) and Guilermina Chivite (violin) of Metapraxis Ensemble, Marquez renders an in-the-moment interpretation of Emfietzis' score.

Sound: Gregory Emfietzis
Movement: Marina Marquez
Musicians: Guilermina Chivite (violin), Myrto Loulaki (voice)
Costume: Monica Soto Paredes

Mariana Marquez - World Listening Project 2010

WORLD LISTENING PROJECT: DIY 1

 

Nao Maebayashi takes on Gregory Emfietzis's DIY 1: the pianist & the lamp, at Cafe OTO, as part of the World Listening Project's preview event.

The lamp in this particular piece exemplifies the controlling role through the following concept: it carries a socio-political message: the human race against the machines (or the continuous fight of men in order not to be replaced by machines in their professional and social life). Conceptually approached in a similar way to Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis, the meaning of the work considers the lamp as an ‘archetype’ of (all) the machines.

Metapraxis III: Silence (e)Sound muSic noiSe

The third Metapraxis project -inspired by John Cage's ideas on silence, sound and noise- is exploring the function of music in performance and the concept of songs in contradicting formats.

Acoustic and electro-acoustic works by
William Cheshire, Anne Cleare, Gregory Emfietzis, Christopher Fox, Johnny Herbert, Scott Mc Laughlin and Franz Schubert.

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

Metapraxis II: ...flow my tears...

The second Metapraxis project, built on John Dowland's 'Flow my tears' and Yannis Kyriakides's 'Satellites', is thematically concerned with the contemporary world life's current state of affairs, consequences of selfishness and personal insensitivity.

Acoustic and electro-acoustic works by
John Dowland, Gregory Emfietzis, George Holloway, Yannis Kyriakides, Scott McLaughlin and W.A.Mozart

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Richard Jones (viola), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Andriana Minou (piano), Ella Rundle (cello)

METAPRAXIS VII: WINTER JOURNEY

Artwork from Pip Woolf's collection 'Winterreise'

The Winter Journey is an audiovisual collage, structured on elements taken from or inspired by Franz Schubert's Winterreise, narrating refugee memories in their displacement travel to the unknown. It is an openly collaborative venture, initiated as a response to the current humanitarian crisis developing in a global level. This is also leading to the ensemble's 10th birthday!

A young refugee on a boat stranded in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, is reading what's left from an old diary: remembering/re-learning his/her own life story.’

As part of this, we are experimenting with blending Schubert’s lieder with notions from Samuel Beckett’s works Krapp's Last Tape and Ohio Impromptu and Winterreise-inspired artworks by visual artist Pip Woolf. There has been considerable research in academia and elsewhere on connecting the above (there is a very interesting joint between Beckett and Winterreise, and you might experience some of that in our show), and we are aiming to take it further by linking them with our refugee story. But the cherry on top of this venture are the new works we commisioned to composers and sound artists (up to now: Lucy Callen, Daniel Fígols, Scott Mc Laughlin, and Ruta Vitkauskaite), and the existing works we are incorporating (up to now: Gregory Emfietzis, and Christopher Fox) for vintage reel-to-reel tape machines, voices and instruments, and... mobile phones!

So far, this journey has-taken/is-taking us to the Hundred Years Gallery (Feb'19), Omnibus Theatre (Apr'19) and Cafe OTO (Jun'19), and the musicians involved include Gregory Emfietzis (violin/aux.instr), Daniel Figols (cello/electronics), Neil Georgeson (piano), Angela Hui (percussion), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Loukia Loulaki (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Damian Posse (d.bass).

* With this opportunity, we are fundraising for the refugee-supporting organisations: THREE PEAS, Big Leaf Foundation, and Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (click on their names to learn more about their extremely important work in the UK and Greece).

METAPRAXIS VI: SISYPHUS DISTRESSING

7/11: Sisyphus Distressing @IKLECTIK, London

After several years without one of 'our own' projects, with some new and some older faces, and additional extra gear, we touched base with the Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing. In agreement with the traditional ...à la Metapraxis structure, seven pieces have been (dis-)joined, merged, and linked in varying ways, in order to form a single unit. That was also our debut at IKLECTIK, a very welcoming and flexible venue, particularly for the type of events we tend to put on! - Metapraxis 11/2017

We turn toward God only to obtain the impossible. As for the possible, men suffice. - Albert Camus

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

A music (with a pinch of theatre) performance, was presented on the 7th of November (Albert Camus's birthday anniversary), bringing to life a narrative based on the myth of Sisyphus: an avant-garde sonic environment full of experimental, theatrical and visual elements, intersecting with the absurd narration of the well-known myth (as it was seen by Camus). This project was conceived as the second part of a music and theatre trilogy, based on Camus's notion of revolt: "the attitude of heroic defiance or resistance to whatever oppresses human beings". The first part of it can be seen here (performed by the LSO).

The development and production of Sisyphus Victimised have been generously supported by the Hinrichsen Foundation.

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distrssing [2017/18]

Sisyphus Distressing relates the absurdity of man's life with the situation of Sisyphus (our protagonist), an iconic image from Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. The key points we explore are: endless repetition, meaninglessness, struggle, failure, and hope. The work of the Algerian/French philosopher Albert Camus on Sisyphus is playing a major role on this exploration. The other crucial element of our performance, the mirror, comes from Grimm Brothers' Evil Queen (antagonist of Snow White).

Sisyphus Distressing is a sonic venture in flexible format. The content of each performance is partly altered as our focus switches between different key points. The project started with a set number of Emfietzis’s existing compositions: sonic works involving various non-musical elements, such as gestures, acting, lights, design. It has since been continuously developing, and thus each of the FOUR previous performances (at IKLECTIK, Blue Elephant Theatre, Cafe OTO & The Cockpit Theatre) were substantially different!

Living is keeping the absurd alive. - Albert Camus

The Metapraxis
Gregory Emfietzis (composition/devising/production), Neil Georgeson (piano/narration), Angela Hui (percussion), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Loukia Loulaki (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Susan Merrick (integrated BSL interpretation), Rebecca Raimondi (violin)

The supporting crew
Kyveli Anastasiadi (videographer), Edd Cross (video producer), Alma Daskalaki (co-producer), Alex Lesseps (videographer), Matt London (audio engineer), Damian Posse (co-producer, videographer), Mayra Stergiou (stage director)

Metapraxis VI: Rebecca Raimondi

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

Metapraxis VI: Myrto Loulaki

Metapraxis VI: Neil Georgeson

Metapraxis VI: Angela Hui & Ilze Ikse

Metapraxis VI: Sisyphus Distressing

ALINE DERDERIAN: L'ANTIGONIE

8 & 9/5/2015: L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects, London

A piece of contemporary music and dance by the Consensus Dance Company, attempting to re-contextualise the myth of Antigone, as seen through the eyes of Jean Cocteau. It explores the physicality of the characters as well as the embodiment of frustration and tragedy.

“We have only a little time to please the living. But all eternity to love the dead.” - Sophocles

Choreographer Aline Derderian, in collaboration with composer Gregory Emfietzis (following their previous work Défigure sur la plage inerte that can be seen here) and the Metapraxis Ensemble, finds an opportunity to pay tribute to her Armenian origins for the hundred anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915. In the challenge that is diffusing contemporary performance towards Armenian community and vice versa, Consensus Dance Company showcased its work at TripSpace Projects, London on May 8th and 9th 2015, and on the 8th of October, in Yerevan (Armenia), during the HighFest 2o15 .

The development of this project has been generously supported by the Arts Council England.

-R5EPfJ2pAwkyPRyCWL4eKs-Nr5vghISQ2wlMRE2YxM

Metapraxis Ensemble during L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

The dancing cast:
Sarah Adjou, Alessio Capelli, Aline Derderian, Ughetta Pratesi, Paolo Rosini

The Metapraxis:
George Barton (percussion), Rosha Fitzhowle (voice), Ilze Ikse (flutes), Matt London (saxohones), Andrew Power (cello)

L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

10362569_10152996402792935_8523987200610055995_n

L'antigonie @TripSpace Projects

GREGORY EMFIETZIS: MUSIC IMPOSSIBLE

18/5/2013: Music Impossible @LSO St Lukes, London

In a city from which music has been forcefully banned, a group of citizens secretly manages to discover the truth about the missing sounds and colours. This is a theatrical music performance, devised and composed by Gregory Emfietzis, and presented as a shadow puppetry show. Based on Myrto Loulaki's fairy tale, it follows Roger on his mysterious journey, full of thrills and action, as he strives to find a way to destroy all evil.

The development and production of this project have been generously supported by the Arts Council England and the London Symphony Orchestra (through the LSO Soundhub scheme). The above recordings have been taken from the preview performance of Music Impossible at LSO St Lukes and the subsequent performances at Iris Theatre, Covent Garden.

The collaborative team
Gregory Emfietzis - Composer/Dramatist, Charlotte Ive - Stage Director, Ingrid Hu - Scenographer, Jo Lakin - Puppet Designer & Puppeteer

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Anne Chauveau (cello), Guillermina Chivite (violin), Chris Goodman (clarinet), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Andriana Minou (piano)

Metapraxis Ensemble during Music Impossible @LSO St Luke's

Metapraxis Ensemble during Music Impossible @LSO St Luke's

UNDERSCORE: [POST]ANALOGUE

Underscore: [Post]Analogue

A collaboration of Gregory Emfietzis and Nicholas Peters (aka Underscore) exploring the nature, function, and physicality of reel-to-reel tape machines. Following is an introduction about [Post]Analogue by Nicholas Peters [29/06/11].

The simple answer is curiosity, I’d never seen a reel to reel tape machine live and through John Cage and Steve Reich was really intrigued about working with tape. Particularly in Reich’s case the question and fascination over ‘how tape machines made music’ was one driving force behind the choice of reel to reel tape machines as Underscore’s first project.

The other inspiration came when I randomly went to a production of Samuel Beckett’s play ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ at my local theatre in Taunton, Somerset. As much as the use of reel to reel tape machine was the performance space layout with the male actor sat at a desk at the front with the audience sat in straight lines facing inwards on the other three sides of the square space.

As for the title of the project, it is a comment from Carl Rosman upon a question I asked in a workshop at Darmstadt on composing for Clarinet between him and Rebecca Saunders (composer).

Underscore performing Christopher Fox's 'Three-way accumulator'

[Post]Analogue was initiated around the following works for tape:

Gregory Emfietzis
A Monologue (2011), 10″, for two reel to reel tape machines and one performer.

Christopher Fox
Three-way accumulator (2011), 5″, for three voices and one reel to reel tape machine.
Three Constructions after Kurt Schwitters (1993), 20″, for tape.

Anton Lukoszevieze
Lithuania Dreaming (2011), 8″, for one reel to reel tape machine.

Nicholas Peters
Workhouse (2011), 12″, for one reel to reel tape machine.

METAPRAXIS V: THE DIY SERIES

The fifth Metapraxis projects presents the DIY series, a series of closely related works by Gregory Emfietzis, exploring the theatricality of music performance. In these works, the praxis – in our case the musical actions – becomes part of some sort of theatrical performance (implemented theatricality), often combined with the metapraxis – in our case the nonmusical, theatrical actions. Thus musical performance in its original form becomes part of a dramatic scenario, while the performers become figures with specific personal characteristics.

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

METAPRAXIS IV: ... A DREAM [WITHIN A DREAM] ...

The fourth Metapraxis project includes live music performance, dead electronics, dead video projections (which seem to come alive every now and then), living and dead composers, some dead instruments and a ghost messing around...

Compositions by:
Samuel Barber, Gregory Emfietzis, Bright Sheng, Caroline Wilkinson

Scenography by: Paul Gittins

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

WORLD LISTENING PROJECT: LIQUID EVOLUTION

Composer Gregory Emfietzis and choreographer Mariana Lucia Marquez weave together sound and movement developed from her daily dance meditations by Lavender Pond and the Thames in South East London. In dialogue with musicians Myrto Loulaki (singer, multi-instrumentalist) and Guilermina Chivite (violin) of Metapraxis Ensemble, Marquez renders an in-the-moment interpretation of Emfietzis' score.

Sound: Gregory Emfietzis
Movement: Marina Marquez
Musicians: Guilermina Chivite (violin), Myrto Loulaki (voice)
Costume: Monica Soto Paredes

Mariana Marquez - World Listening Project 2010

WORLD LISTENING PROJECT: DIY 1

 

Nao Maebayashi takes on Gregory Emfietzis's DIY 1: the pianist & the lamp, at Cafe OTO, as part of the World Listening Project's preview event.

The lamp in this particular piece exemplifies the controlling role through the following concept: it carries a socio-political message: the human race against the machines (or the continuous fight of men in order not to be replaced by machines in their professional and social life). Conceptually approached in a similar way to Fritz Lang’s silent film Metropolis, the meaning of the work considers the lamp as an ‘archetype’ of (all) the machines.

Metapraxis III: Silence (e)Sound muSic noiSe

The third Metapraxis project -inspired by John Cage's ideas on silence, sound and noise- is exploring the function of music in performance and the concept of songs in contradicting formats.

Acoustic and electro-acoustic works by
William Cheshire, Anne Cleare, Gregory Emfietzis, Christopher Fox, Johnny Herbert, Scott Mc Laughlin and Franz Schubert.

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Samara Ginsberg (cello), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Nao Maebayashi (piano)

Metapraxis II: ...flow my tears...

The second Metapraxis project, built on John Dowland's 'Flow my tears' and Yannis Kyriakides's 'Satellites', is thematically concerned with the contemporary world life's current state of affairs, consequences of selfishness and personal insensitivity.

Acoustic and electro-acoustic works by
John Dowland, Gregory Emfietzis, George Holloway, Yannis Kyriakides, Scott McLaughlin and W.A.Mozart

The Metapraxis Ensemble
Guillermina Chivite (violin), Richard Jones (viola), Myrto Loulaki (voice), Andriana Minou (piano), Ella Rundle (cello)