Description

Climb! is a musical composition to be performed by a pianist and supporting
technician that combines the ideas of a classical virtuoso piece and a computer
game. Written for a Disklavier grand piano and interactive electronics, Climb! is
an indeterminate work of 26 sections that form three paths with cross-links
between. This results in an open formal structure which potentially culminates
in an original reading of the work on each performance.

Although not specifically a programmatic work, a ‘game like’ narrative underpins
Climb!, namely a climb up a mountain. The climber (i.e. pianist) encounters
challenges where success or failure may steer their subsequent route.

Climb! uses bespoke music recognition software to enable the pianist to interact
with the Disklavier piano and electronics. Key musical phrases embedded within
the score also function as triggers, or ‘codes’. When these phrases are performed
and recognised by the software system they subsequently govern and control a
number of performance interactions, such as: determining the next section to be
played, queuing and cueing the appropriate page of digital score for that section;
starting Disklavier parts that self-play, dueting with the pianist; and changing
audio effect patches that represent changing weather conditions along the
mountain journey.

Along with the electronics a full performance of Climb! uses other additional
media, such as projected visuals that illustrate the performer’s progress up the
mountain, and an’ audience mobile app’ that imparts a range of information pre-
performance, during the performance and post-performance. The projections
and audience app updates are also triggered by the musical codes that control all
other performance interactions. Finally, there is an interactive online archive
populated with recordings and metadata from each performance of Climb!,
where different readings of the work can be explored and compared.

pno, electr

Electro-acoustic Works

Basecamp, The Angry Deer (1a), Path 1a, A Flooded Path (2a), Path 1b, Avatar Finds a Shimmering Stone (3a), Path 1c, A Sleeping Bear (4a), Rolling Stones (5a), The Stones (1b), Path 2a, A Tree Trunk on the Path (2b), Path 2b, A Scary, Whispering Forest (3b), Path 2c, A Hallucination (4b), Birds Attack (5b), Echo (1c), Path 3a, The Herd of Cows (2c), Path 3b, A Talkative Stranger (3c), Path 3c, An Apple Tree (4c), 5c Falling Trees, The Summit

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