Concerts
NYCEMF 2020 - Concert 13
Ken Steen, ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS stems from an idea concerning changing states of being, in this case of water. The linguistic play of “states” also refers to actual changing territories or locations of migration. It is intended to serve as a call to individual action, essential pieces in the puzzle of slowing, stabilizing, or even reversing, the negative effects of climate change. I. eleven words use of 11 words in Icelandic, Swedish and Finnish as vaguely distant sonic recollections or imaginings of water in the forms of snow and ice. II. tippua droppa dreypi translates as drip drip drip, in Finnish, Swedish and Icelandic respectively. A metaphor for the slow but steady migration of Nordic peoples to Manitoba, intertwined with evocations of melting glaciers, snowpack and ice Welds. This movement uses the amplitude of the live piano to advance the video of a downpour, frame-by-frame, as though the piano is generating the rain. III. iceblink a white light seen near the horizon, especially on the underside of low clouds, resulting from a reXection of light off an ice Weld immediately beyond: a physical manifestation of the perception of light transformed, as well as a metaphor for hope through migration.
Source: https://nycemf.org/concert-13
Sonorities Festival Belfast 2020
Brent Lee (composer) and Christopher McNamara’s (Media artist) Immaterial Los Angeles for piano and video, and Ken Steen & Gene Gort ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS (2019) for piano, multichannel processed sound and interactive video. Sonic Arts Research Institute, Queen’s University Belfast N. Ireland.
IN/FUSE 28
“New works for sound and video by the Noiseborder Ensemble” including premiere of Brent Lee and Christopher McNamara’s Immaterial Los Angeles for solo piano and video and Brent Lee’s Agency and Structure for piano and fixed video.
Brandon University Indigenous New Music Festival
Music of Ian Cusson, Cris Derksen and Melody McKiver.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Piano Recital Series
“Expanded Piano: Interactive Sound, Poetry & Video.”
Drogheda Arts Festival 2019
“Nicole Lizée & Megumi Masaki” including premiere of Lizée’s Spielberg Études for piano, Glitch, electronics, foley instruments, and video, Kubrick Études and Hitchcock Études.
Light and Perspective
This program of contemporary works with electronics and multimedia plays on the subject of light and perspective. From the image of negative light (shadows), to animated light and perspective (Fireflies), to a work reacting to mass refugee migration and light as a metaphor for life (Displaced Light), to bright, colourful and graphic particles of light (Spark and Sizzle — a work written by Keith Hamel specifically for this concert). Outstanding Canadian pianist Megumi Masaki will join UBC Music faculty Paolo Bortolussi, Keith Hamel and Jose Franch-Ballester to present this unique multimedia concert.
Source: www.music.ubc.ca/calendar-archive/2019/1/30/wednesday-noon-hours-light-and-perspective
Piano Animals II : Megumi Masaki présente Music 4 Eyes and Ears
Innovations en concert presents one of Canada’s leading concert pianists and interpreters of contemporary music, Megumi Masaki, with Music 4 Eyes and Ears, a mesmerizing multimedia performance featuring works specially commissioned by the pianist. Here, Keith Hamel‘s informatic meditations will link the gestural and tactile, while Nicole Lizée‘s haunting glitch remixes of Hitchcock and Kubrick will receive their integral Montreal premiere.
SELECTED PERFORMANCES
2021
University of Calgary: “Interactive Computer and Piano Music in Live Performance.” Calgary AB. 5 November 2020. Postponed to 2021, COVID-19 pandemic.
2020
Music at Noon Concert Series including premiere of Keith Hamel’s Piano Games for piano, new live interactive computer game and interactive electronics+video and premiere of David Eagle’s Resonare for piano and interactive electronics. University Recital Hall, University of Lethbridge AB. 3 November 2020. Postponed to 2021, COVID-19 pandemic.
Chetham’s International Summer Music Festival. Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester UK. 14-20 August 2020. Online due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Casalmaggiore International Festival: Contemporary International Music Exchange. Aula magna and Auditorium Casalmaggiore Italy. 7-28, July 2020. Postponed to 2021, COVID-19 pandemic.
New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival: selected by peer review to perform Ken Steen (composer) & Gene Gort (video designer) ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS (2019) for piano, multichannel processed sound and interactive video. New York University USA. 14-21 June 2020. Postponed, COVID-19 pandemic. Online performance https://nycemf.org/concert-13/
Sonorities Festival Belfast 2020: selected by peer review to perform Brent Lee (composer) and Christopher McNamara’s (Media artist) Immaterial Los Angeles for piano and video, and Ken Steen & Gene Gort ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS (2019) for piano, multichannel processed sound and interactive video. Sonic Arts Research Institute, Queen’s University Belfast N. Ireland. 22-25, April 2020. Postponed to 2021, COVID-19 pandemic.
INFUSE 28: “New works for sound and video by the Noiseborder Ensemble” including premiere of Brent Lee and Christopher McNamara’s Immaterial Los Angeles for solo piano and video and Brent Lee’s Agency and Structure for piano and fixed video. Alan Wildeman Centre for Creative Arts, Multimedia Studio, University of Windsor ON. 2 March 2020
Brandon University Indigenous New Music Festival: Music of Ian Cusson, Cris Derksen and Melody McKiver. Lorne Watson Recital Hall, Brandon MB. 11 & 12 February 2020.
2019
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Piano Recital Series. “Expanded Piano: Interactive Sound, Poetry & Video.” King Charles Court, Mackerras Room, London UK. 11 November 2019.
MUSIC on the POINT Concerts with Personality. “Introducing T. Patrick Carrabré Music & Life.” Barnett Hall, UBC Vancouver BC. 25 October 2019.
Casalmaggiore International Festival: Contemporary International Music Exchange (CIME), “MUSIC4EYES+EARS: Integrating Sound & Video.” Aula Magna, Casalmaggiore Italy. 10 & 15 July 2019.
Drogheda Arts Festival Louth Ireland: “Nicole Lizée & Megumi Masaki” including premiere of Lizée’s Spielberg Études for piano, Glitch, electronics, foley instruments, and video, Kubrick Études and Hitchcock Études. St. Peter’s Church of Ireland Drogheda on 4 May 2019.
Brandon University Pro Series Brandon New Music Festival: “Expressions, Peoples, Innovation, Change” including premiere of T. Patrick Carrabré Orpheus (1) 2018 for piano, toy piano, Roli keyboard, video, and text by Margaret Atwood and premiere of Ken Steen (composer) & Gene Gort (video designer) ICE IS WATER IS ICE IS (2019) for piano, multichannel processed sound and interactive video. Lorne Watson Recital Hall, Brandon MB. 19-20 March.
UBC WNH Concert Series, “Light and Perspective.” Roy Barnett Recital Hall, Vancouver BC. 30 January 2019.
Trinity Western University Guest Artist Recital “Interactive Computer Music”, Langley BC. 23, January 2019.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University Guest Artist Concert Series, Langley BC. 23 January 2019.
2018
University of Lethbridge, Crossing Boundaries Symposium & Interactive Art, Science, and Technology In Western Canada (IAST), Lethbridge AB. 26 October 2018.
University of Manitoba, Regional Interactive Art, Science, and Technology In Western Canada (IAST), Winnipeg MB. 17 September 2018
Chetham’s International Piano Festival Opening Concert, Whiteley Hall, Manchester UK. 17 August 2018.
Noiseborder Festival, “Outer Drive & Epiphanies,” NPML, Windsor ON. 15 May 2018.
GroundSwell MUSIC4EYES+EARS, Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, Winnipeg MB. 15 March 2018.
Brandon University Pro Series New Music Festival MUSIC4E+E: Heroes in the Seaweed, LWRH Brandon MB. 13 March 2018.
University of York, “Interactive Computer Music in Live Piano Performance,” Rymer Auditorium York, UK. 27 February 2018.
Canadian Music Centre, Album Launch Concert: Megumi Masaki MUSIC4EYES+EARS, St. Joseph St. Toronto, ON. 12 January 2018.
2017
Tone Deaf Festival 2017, including premiere of John Burge and Gary Gibbins (video) Pianthromorphia for piano and video, Isabel Bader Centre, Kingston ON. 16 November 2017.
ISCM World New Music Days 2017 “Closing Concert: A Kind of Magic,” works by Heera Kim (KR), I-Ily Cheng (TW), Shingo Matsuura (JPN), Maja Palser (UK), Vancouver Playhouse, BC. 8 November 2017.
39th EPTA International Conference Piano Recital “Interactive Computer Music in Live Piano Performance,” Helsinki Conservatory, Finland. 10 August 2017.
Casalmaggiore International Festival: Contemporary International Music Exchange (CIME), Auditorium, Casalmaggiore Italy. 24 July 2017.
BU Pro Series New Music Festival MUSIC 4EYES+EARS: VISIONS Evans Theatre, Brandon MB. 27 March.
University of York UK “Piano and Electronics.” Arthur Sykes Rymer Auditorium, York UK. 28 February 2017.
CoLab Festival “Real-time Interactive Movement and Sound.” Laban London UK. 20-24 February 2017.
Brandon Chamber Players CANADA 150: Music of T. Patrick Carrabré. Brandon University. 10 February 2017.
2016
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Rolston Recital Hall, AB. 1 December 2016.
China solo piano+multimedia recital tour: Shanghai New Music Week, Shanghai Conservatory 22 - 24 September, Xinyang Normal University 25 - 28 September, Haikou Flying Geese Cultural Centre and Hainan Normal University 30 September – 7 October, Anhui Normal University 8 – 12 October, Wanjiang College 10 October; Xinjiang Education Institution Department of Music 13 – 15 October 2016.
Stupor Mundi Festival 150 years Italy-Japan Bilateral Relations Celebration, New Music of Japan, Municipality of Casalmaggiore & Japanese Embassy, Italy. 20 July 2016.
JUNOfest Classical Showcase. Scarboro United Church, Calgary AB. 2 April 2016.
Innovations en concert. Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur, Montreal QC. 22 March 2016.
Magdalen Arts Week. Piano+electronics+film. Magdalen College Oxford University, UK. 7 March 2016.
Bangor Music Festival and Interactions Symposium. Piano+new technologies+interactive multimedia performances and workshop. Powis Hall, Bangor, Wales. 6 March 2016.
St. Andrews New Music Week. Visiting Professor and Artist in Residence. Piano+new technologies+interactive multimedia performances. Younger Hall, St. Andrews, Scotland. 24 February – 2 March 2016.
University of Huddersfield, Premiere of Corona by Keith Hamel, CAB, Huddersfield, UK. 22 February 2016.
CoLab Festival. Piano+gesture tracking concert and workshop. Trinity Laban London, UK. 18 February 2016.
Manitoba: EDGE BU New Music Festival, Pro Series. Brandon University, MB. 22 January 2016.
2015
Sound Unbound, The Barbican, London, UK. Two solo piano & multimedia recitals. 31 October 2015.
Fluxus Concert, CIME Casalmaggiore International Festival, Italy. 24 July 2015.
Classical:NEXT Opening Concert – Canadian Music Centre & the Canada Council for the Arts, De Doelen-Jurriaanse Zaal, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 20 May 2015.
London Ontario Media Arts Association, Vibrafusionlab, London ON, Noiseborder. 28 February 2015.
Bangor University Matthias Hall, Bangor Wales. Noiseborder Ensemble concert. 24 February 2015.
“Beyond the Keys” Concert Laban Theatre, London UK. 16 February 2015.
CoLab Festival. Piano+multimedia residency. Trinity Laban London, UK 16-20 February 2015.
Royal Academy of Music. Multimedia performance & postgrad workshop. London, UK. 12 Feb. 2015.
Winnipeg New Music Festival 6. Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, MB. 5. February 2015.
Brandon University Pro Series New Music Festival. LWRH Brandon, MB. 29 January 2015.
2014
Canadian Music Centre National Performance Space, Toronto, ON. CD Launch of Nicole Lizée’s Bookburners CD, DVD and Vinyl. 12 December 2014.
Western Canadian Music Awards: Breakout West Festival. Winnipeg, MB. 4 October 2014.
w.a.v.e.s Festival. Windsor Sculpture Park, Windsor, ON. 27 September 2014.
New Music Kingston. Piano+multimedia recital. Isabel Bader Centre, Kingston, ON. 26 September 2014.
40th International Computer Music Conference joint 11th Sound and Music Computing Conference, Onassis Cultural Hall, Athens, Greece. 18 September 2014.
Casalmaggiore International Music Festival 2014, Opening Gala Concert, Aula Magna, Santa Chiara, Casalmaggiore Italy. 7 July 2014. Contemporary International Music Exchange 23 July 2014.
WAG: An Evening with Sonia: Eckhardt-Gramatté’s Complete Works for Violin and Piano Duo with Oleg Pokhanovski. Winnipeg Art Gallery, MB. 26 February 2014.
CoLab Festival. Piano+multimedia recitals & residence. Trinity Laban London, UK. 10-14 February 2014.
Hochschule für Musik Mainz. Piano+multimedia recital. Roter Saal, Mainz, Germany. 5 February 2014.
Dark Music Days Festival 2014. Piano+multimedia recital, piano masterclass. Harpa Kaldalón Hall & Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavik, Iceland. 31 January, 1 February 2014.
Brandon University Pro Series & New Music Festival. LWRH Brandon, MB. 14 & 23 January 2014.
2013
Hartt School of Music. Piano+multimedia recital. Hartford, CT USA. 4 December 2013.
Blackhole Factory Club Instabil. Piano+interactive multimedia and Noiseborder Ensemble. Kunstmühle, Braunschweig, Germany. 28 August 2013.
Project Master Control: Original music and sound design for controlling visual material with sound, controlling sonic material with video, and controlling audio-visual gestures through a variety of sensors in live performance, with media artists Elke Utermöhlen, Martin Slawig and the Noiseborder Ensemble. 20-25 August 2013.
Ottawa Chamberfest New Music Now 1. Piano+interactive/multimedia recital. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON. 5 August 2013.
Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music Paris (IRCAM). Performance with Keith Hamel. Centre Pompidou Paris France. 29 April 2013.
Sonorities Festival of Contemporary Music 2013: Beyond Soundscape. Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast, Ireland. 28 April 2013.
Cork Institute of Technology School of Music. Piano+multimedia recital & masterclass. Curtis Auditorium, Cork, Ireland. 22 April 2013.
Hochschule für Musik Mainz. Dozentenkonzert. Piano+multimedia recital & masterclass. Roter Saal, Mainz, Germany. 13-14, February 2013.
London International Piano Symposium. Piano+multimedia recital. Royal College of Music, London, England. 9 February 2013.
Piano Development & Discovery. Piano+multimedia recital. Royal Academy of Music, David Josefowitz Recital Hall London, England. 6 February 2013.
Dark Music Days Festival 2013. Two recitals, piano masterclass & composition presentation. European premiere of Hamel’s “Touch” for piano, interactive computer processing and hand-tracking. Harpa Kaldalón Hall & Iceland Academy of the Arts, Reykjavik, Iceland. 19 January, 1, 2 & 3 February 2013.
2012
Noiseborder Ensemble DISCRETE Concert. Studio A, University of Windsor, ON. 25 October 2012.
34th EPTA European Conference of EPTA Associations Recital “Music 4 Eyes & Ears II: Integrating Sound and Image in Multimedia Performance.” Eric Ericson Hall, Stockholm, Sweden. 29 September 2012.
Chetham’s International Summer Festival 2012. Piano+multimedia recital. Whiteley Hall, Manchester, UK. 28 August 2012.
Casalmaggiore International Music Festival 2012. Casalmaggiore, Italy. 19, 20 & 21 July 2012.
Escuela Nacional de Música. Multimedia Artist-in-Residence. UNAM, Mexico City. Two concerts, improv-performances, 23-27, April 2012.
BU Pro Series. Solo and duo-piano recital with Timothy Steeves. LWRH Brandon. 30 March 2012.
Sonorities Festival 2012. Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast, Ireland. 26 March 2012.
Regina NMF: Multimedia 2012. Riddell Centre Theatre, University of Regina, SK. 21 March 2012.
Windsor Canadian Music Festival 2012. Premiere of T. Patrick Carrabré’s Orpheus Drones (2012) written for Megumi Masaki. Assumption University Chapel, Windsor, ON. 11 February 2012. For CBC Radio 2.
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival 2012. Westminster United Church, Winnipeg, MB. 29 January 2012. For CBC Radio 2: CONCERTS ON DEMAND and National broadcast on CBC Radio 2.
2011
Northwest Missouri State University, CJ Theater Series. Maryville MO, USA. 8 November 2011.
Music at Memorial Series, “New World, Old World – East Meets West. Music by Hatzis, Lizée, Brahms.” Solo and duo-piano with Timothy Steeves. D.F. Cook Recital Hall, St. John’s NL. 4 November 2011.
UBC, Wed. Noon Hours Concert Series. Roy Barnett Recital Hall, Vancouver, BC. 12 October 2011.
Canadian University Music Society 2011 Conference Concert. Megumi Masaki, solo piano and multimedia “Canadian Music 4 EYES & EARS.” Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, 2-5, June 2020. Blind peer reviewed.
Gala Concert, 2011 Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition. Valdine Anderson, soprano and Megumi Masaki, piano. LWRH Brandon, MB. 30 April 2011. For CBC Radio 2: CONCERTS ON DEMAND and The Signal on 7 May 2011.
University of Windsor, in/fuse 14. Noiseborder. Studio A, Jaroslaw Kapuscinski, The Noiseborder Ensemble, premieres of Banu Dorken Erol by Brent Lee/J. Kapuschinski, Flower for Those Lost at Sea by Christopher McNamara. Canadian premiere of Where is Chopin? [Preludes in F# and Ab] by J. Kapuscinski. Megumi Masaki solo piano and multimedia, chamber and multimedia performances. Windsor, ON. 24 February 2011.
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival: “Songs, Fantasies, and Impromptus.” Megumi Masaki, piano with Oleg Pokhanovski, violin. Westminster Church, Winnipeg, MB. 30 January 2011. For CBC Radio 2: CONCERTS ON DEMAND and National broadcast on CBC Radio 2: The Signal on 3 May 2011.
2010
Oleg & Friends Concert Series. “The Music of Prokofiev.” Broadway United Church. Megumi Masaki, piano and Oleg Pokhanovski, violin. Winnipeg, Manitoba. 21 November 2010.
TOUR 2010 “Music 4 EYES & EARS I” solo piano and multimedia: Gallery 345. Toronto, ON. 25 October; UWO, Friday-at-Noon Concert Series. London, ON. 22 October; University of Windsor, in/fuse 13. Windsor ON. 19 October and Artist-in-Residence 18-20 October; Queen's University Concert Series. Kingston, ON. 15 October; University of Regina Concert Series. Regina, SK. 13 October; University of West Georgia Fall Concert Series. Kashen Recital Hall, Carrollton, Georgia USA. 21 September; University of Texas at El Paso “Ivories on the Border” Concert Series. Fox Fine Arts Recital Center, El Paso, Texas USA. 18 September.
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival 2010, “Beats and Loops... and Turntables.” Canadian premiere of Nicole Lizée's Hitchcock Études for solo piano and film, 2010. Saint Brigid's Centre for the Arts, Ottawa, ON. 2 August 2010.
Casalmaggiore International Music Festival 2010, two piano recitals including premiere of Nicole Lizée’s Hitchcock Études for solo piano and film (2010). Megumi Masaki, piano. Casalmaggiore, Italy. 17 & 21 July 2010.
Canadian University Music Society 2010 Conference Concert, Ridell Centre. Megumi Masaki, piano and Oleg Pokhanovski, violin. Regina, Saskatchewan. 6 June 2010. Blind peer reviewed.
Oleg & Friends Concert Series. Broadway United Church. Megumi Masaki, piano and Oleg Pokhanovski, violin. Winnipeg, Manitoba. 21 March 2010.
Golden Prairie Arts Council Recital Series. Megumi Masaki, piano and Oleg Pokhanovski, violin. Carmen, Manitoba. 19 March 2010.
Winnipeg New Music Festival. Megumi Masaki, piano. Westminster Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 7 February 2010.
Brandon Chamber Players Concert Series. Megumi Masaki, piano and Cathy Wood, clarinet. Lorne Watson Hall, Brandon, Manitoba. 1 February 2010.