Good afternoon everyone,

How are you? I went to an excellent concert a couple of weeks ago and I'd like to share some of that music with you. The concert was called "8 Hands" and I think it's played in a few cities, so if you see a poster for it in your town definitely go. It's experimental/minimalist piano/percussion/found sound music, so if that is your jam (and it's certainly mine) you will love it.

Let's start with Bushra El Turk, whose Ostina-bush-to was on the programme (not on ours today unfortunately as I couldn't find it on youtube). Here she is talking about her creative process:

using one parameter from one tradition (e.g. rhythmic elements of an Arabic ekaa) blended with one parameter from another tradition (e.g. the harmonies used in Japanese court music) or it can be a mix of ideologies from these respective cultures. In the music-making: I work closely with musicians from these traditions and give them a strong conceptual base to work from. I invite them to bring their culture and personalities to find a space within my music to feel comfortable enough to express themselves. I notate my music in a way that hopefully gives them fertile ground–enough material to play with, yet frees them creatively.

https://icareifyoulisten.com/2019/01/5-questions-to-bushra-el-turk-composer/

And here's a violin piece of hers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbFrNa96WDs

The programme described Unsuk Chin's Etudes as "ferociously demanding". Obviously a phrase like that describes a pretty broad space and includes both things you will enjoy a lot and things that are entirely horrible. Fortunately for us, today, the ferocious demands are more on the player than the listener. Here's Yejin Gil rising to those challenges:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCWEyMriEGs

Finally, I've featured Anna Meredith in Fem Fri several times and it's always great to see women from Fife doing well. Here's Camberwell Green:

https://soundcloud.com/annameredith/camberwell-green

Have a smashing weekend,

Alex.