The third full Occupy the Pianos festival, curated by pianist and composer Rolf Hind will take place between 20-22 April at St John's Smith Square. Studded with many freshly written works, and radical takes on music and concert-giving, this festival features new and radical piano music at its core.
At the festival’s heart is an ever-growing team of brilliant musicians whose approach is outward looking, unconventional and curious. Artists include Rolf Hind, Elaine Mitchener, Loré Lixenberg, Nancy Ruffer, David Alberman, Zoë Martlew, Siwan Rhys, Ben Smith, George Barton, and more.
Concert tickets | £10 (YF £5)
Festival Pass | Access all concerts in Occupy the Pianos
£40 | (YF £25); BOOK YOUR FESTIVAL PASS NOW
Download the Festival Brochure
DAY 1 || FRIDAY 20 APRIL || OCCUPY THE PIANOS
Rădulescu Icons In Crypt 2.00pm
Throughout the weekend, two of Horatiu Rădulescu's sound icons will live in the Crypt of St John’s Smith Square. There will be performances of works by Rădulescu, composer Joe Bates and other new work. More Rădulescu works are performed on Friday.
Free entry - Just turn up.
Call for Scores! 3.00pm
New scores from a call put out last year will be played and discussed by some of the weekend’s participants. A friendly and welcoming session designed for those interested in playing the piano, writing for it, and listening to it. All welcome!
Free Entry (ticketed)
We Come Together 7.30pm
Two of the country’s most fascinating vocalists in very different repertoire: Rzewski’s blistering shout-out for political action launches the night, and Maxwell Davies incendiary portrait of a woman on the edge rounds it off. Sandwiched between, a cool but acerbic piece from the much-missed and always politically engaged British composer, Steve Martland.
Other Avatars 9.30pm
A late-night sequence from festival director, Rolf Hind. Messiaen’s heady Catholicism, interwoven with Scelsi’s exquisite Hindu-inspired improvisations inspired by avatars of Vishnu and a new piece from Edward Nesbit. Bookending the programme are the extraordinary possibilities of the magnetic resonator piano, giving the piano new forms, new life.
DAY 2 || SATURDAY 21 APRIL || DAY OF PROTEST
Polymorphous Polymaths 2.00pm
Three major figures in British musical life - between them cellist, two singers, director, two comediennes and three composers - present short new works on the theme of protest and politics. A chance to hear some of our most radical and individual voices unleashed!
On a Queer Day 4.00pm
In this event, OTP returns to re-examine the queer angle in contemporary music making, with solo piano works from three engaged and politically queer composers, as well as Ben Smith’s setting of haunting fragments of Sappho. Before this, Nick Bonadies will discuss and play his research into the performance of Bach refracted through the lens of queer theory.
Eastern Cow Theatre 7.30pm
Featured performer Lixenberg directs sections from Kagel’s groundbreaking work with amateur performers from CoMA, in a version tailored to St John’s Smith Square’s space. Unmissable. This is preceded by Rolf Hind’s Way Out East, written for Lixenberg.
The People United Will Never Be Defeated 9.30pm
Robin Green takes on Rzewski’s mighty set of variations, a tribute to the struggles of the Socialists in Chile in the 1960s and 1970s and by extension, to the various Socialist movements of the 20th century. A rousing reminder and call to arms to end the day’s music.
DAY 3 || SUNDAY 22 APRIL || THE JOURNEY WITHIN
Trumpets of the Eternal 11.00am
With the other activities in the crypt, today we give a focus on the extraordinary mystical compositions of Radulescu. Here, his intense work is set against a new piece by brilliant Brit composer, Christian Mason, lapidary abstractions from Feldman, and a very early piece from Scelsi - a true mystical trailblazer of the 20th century.
You WIll Endure Forever 2.00pm
More composers whose work charts a journey of the spirit. For Vivier, the objective correlative of this journey is the near-mythic destination; Harvey was a curious and sympathetic student of the East and brings his wonderfully imaginative ear to his tribute to Messiaen. And finally Adams’ exciting, and a bit more earth(l)y Hallelujah Junction.
Still Music 4.00pm
Pianist and meditation teacher Eliza McCarthy will lead the audience in an inquiry into the nature of sound. Rob Burbea is a composer who gave up his career to be a Buddhist teacher and his passionate colourful piece opens the concert. Two further pieces act as focuses for meditation - firstly on sound and then in a walking meditation in which the audience will be invited to take part.
Infinite Acceptance 7.30pm
Taking its title from Rilke, Per Nørgård’s astonishing two-piano piece opens into a chaotic and joyous embrace of wild, colourful and rhythmic sounds. After this the concert becomes more contemplative and the audience shares in the music-making with Pauline Oliveros’ work. After the interval a coda of luminous delicacy in pieces by Feldman, Harvey and Scelsi, leading the audience and the players towards the final event of the night…
Universal Music 9.30pm
Deep listening to sound icons, with instruction from Pauline Oliveros’ writing. Audience, players and passers-by are invited to meet, drink, play, sing and talk in St John’s Smith Square’s Crypt.
Free Entry
Occupy the Pianos 2018 is curated by Rolf Hind.
Supported using public funding by the Arts Council England and Cockayne - Grants for the arts - a donor advised fund managed by London Community Foundation.