Australian percussionist, composer, and sound artist Matthias Schack-Arnott collaborates with acclaimed French pianist Cédric Tiberghien on John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes of 1948.
Schack-Arnott is known for his unique approach to sound: he creates sculptural musical worlds that are beautifully lit and dramatically staged. Here, he brings his distinct voice to John Cage’s classic work for prepared piano, augmenting it with a massive kinetic sound sculpture that floats above the piano, dancing in synchronicity.
A pioneer in the development of percussion, Cage initiated the prepared piano as a means of giving the instrument a greater range of sounds. More than 70 years after its composition, the work is reimagined as a three-dimensional sculptural world, with Tiberghien’s exquisite playing at its heart.
The Cage Project premiered at the 2023 Adelaide and Perth Festivals, where it was hailed as a triumph. Described by Limelight as 'engagingly playful, richly emotional, and deeply meditative,' the performance captivated audiences. Now, Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney will experience the magic.
'The Cage Project is Matthias’s response to my invitation to turn the inside of Cage’s prepared piano into a grand theatrical tableau.' - Paul Kildea
'When the final moment of the work arrived, several hundred people sat in a moment of inner peace and tranquillity we seldom find in this always busy modern world.' - Glamadelaide.