Ma Festival

間 MA JAPAN FESTIVAL CLOSING TIME:
FEAST FOR THE IMPRO’ EARS  

ZONDAG / DIMANCHE / SUNDAY • 6 NOV • 20:00 • 8€

text written by Pak Yan Lau, co-organisator with Giovanni Di Domenico of this festival in les ateliers claus, de pianofabriek, de beursschouwburg, recyclart & zaal belgië. there's also an eclectic movie picnic for ears, eyes & stomach on 3 november.

To end the MA Japan Festival, les ateliers claus is hosting a giant improv fest with no less than 21 musicians, actors and dancer - all highly involved in the international improv’ scene. We don’t know exactly how we can fit them in one room, but there’s no doubt this will be amazing.

Free flow music will be played in the most unexpected line ups and combinations.  If you are curious about what 5 of the best drummers around the globe can do together for instance, or what beautiful surprises could be created by pure musical/performance chemistry by some of the most interesting experimental artists around… then don't miss this evening.

Chris Corsano and Darin Gray will be joining the FEAST FOR THE IMPRO’ EARS, with their Japanese counterparts: Daysuke Takaoka, Yuko Oshima, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, Marron , Nanami, and also their European side kicks: Nico Roig , Sanne Van Heck, Mathieu Calleja , Joao Lobo,  Giovanni Di Domenico  and Pak Yan Lau. The group of Kodomo Kyojin will be painting with their surrealistic touch.

Line up info:

Chris Corsano | always welcome in Les Ateliers Claus, this impressive drummer seems to turn into an octopus behind the kit.        
http://www.cor-sano.com/

Darin Gray | Coming from the Chicago improv scene, being the right bassist for Dazzling Killmen, noise, impro or math rock, he can handle it all!      
http://www.fvrec.com/daringray/

Daysuke Takaoka | Incredible tuba traveler produces sounds you didn't imagine a tuba could produce.            
http://www.myspace.com/takaokadaysuke

Yuko Oshima | Japanese lady treats the drums in many different ways, with influences from tradition, but also electronics and free noise.
http://www.myspace.com/yukooshima

Tatsuhisa Yamamoto | Grooving, polyrhythmic, always with a beautiful sound. Currently he’s one of the most demanded drummers in Japan.
http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/tatsuhisayamamoto.shtm

Marron | Delay ninja from Kyoto on electric guitar, brings layers of trippy sounds.
http://www.myspace.com/dubmarronics

Nanami | Butoh dancer, deep organic and naturalistic.
http://www.dansesauvage.com/

Nico Roig | Mostly losing his head, this dreamy guitarist knows how to make incredibly beautiful melodies, crazy incoherent grooves and has a special feel for electronics!
http://nicoroig.wordpress.com/

Sanne Van Heck | Multi instrumentalist Sanne brings her trumpet, navigating through free jazz, noise, rock and impro.
http://www.draaiomjeoren.com/taketen/taketenvanhek.html

Mathieu Calleja | Sound sculpture drummer, who does wondrous things with his cymbals and his deep sounding bassdrum.
http://www.par4chemins.com/cymbows_english_version.html

Joao Lobo | Portugal’s favorite drummer, knows how to move in every direction, he was born to improvise.
http://www.myspace.com/joaolobo

Giovanni Di Domenico | multi talented Italian pianist, shared musical views with Arve Henriksen and Jim O’Rourke, bringing colorful harmonies, edgy electronics and open ears.
http://soundcloud.com/giovannididomenico

Pak Yan Lau | Dreamy, toy obsessed pianist, always developing different moods and ambiences.
http://www.myspace.com/pakyanlau

Kodomo Kyojin | Theatre group straight from Osaka. Hilarious, mysterious, strange, absurd and thrilling.
http://kodomokyojin.com/about/english/

Wim Lots | Soundscapes

Outloud (day two)

OUTLOUD!
AL SOLO (Maps of unusual places)
LOLA MONTEZ
GOING
CLAUDIA IGNOTO (Installation)
SOUNDSCAPES BY MAD AP - CURATED BY PAK YAN LAU 

ZATERDAG / SAMEDI / SATURDAY • 16 APRIL • 20:30 • 8€

Day two of a two day festival of music in all its shapes, with international and national musicians from around the globe - as curated by PAK YAN LAU

LUCE INSTALLATION
Claudia Ignoto (It/Nl) is a visual artist living in Brussels, in this installation she will play with organic forms, glass , transparancies  and light, creating a dark shining space. 
Claudia Ignoto (installation) www.claudiaignoto.com 
Pak Yan Lau (music) www.myspace.com/pakyanlau

AL SOLO
'Maps Of Unusual Places'
Saxophone alto: AUDREY LAURO
Mise En Espace: Daniel Perez 

Cartographie sonore improvisée … on travaille dans ce solo/duo sur la notion de trajet, de chemin. .. Le son se déplace d’un point à un autre , stagne, occupe tout l’espace , se transforme mais ne s’arrête jamais. La respiration circulaire est à l’origine de la performance qui interroge les notions de cycles, de parcours et d’espaces sonores . Ce qui m’intéresse est l’espace d’écoute commun à l’auditeur et au performer, et plus encore les « unusual , emotional, fictional places » que la performance propose …

LOLA MONTEZ
Happy Punk quartet from Amsterdam, Utrecht & Hamburg
http://www.lolamontez.nl
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doppelmoppel/sets/72157626080602824/

GOING 
Psychedelic grooving drum/keys quartet with:
Pak Yan Lau (pianet, electronics)
Giovanni Di Domenico (rhodes, electronics)
Mathieu Calleja (drums/percussion, electronics)
Joao Lobo (drums)

Untitled by Going

Soundscapes by MAD-AP

PAK YAN LAU
Born in Belgium, with origins from Hong Kong, Pak Yan started playing the piano at the age of 9. She studied in Belgium (Royal Conservatory of Antwerp) and Portugal (ESMAE, O Porto) for classical piano. Where after she took jazz workshops in Belgium and Italy with among others; Christoph Erbstosser, Mark Levine, Stefano Battaglia, Franco d’Andrea, Marilyn Crispell, etc… She makes music for dance-theatre productions ('Gadgetland', Lazara Rosell Albear), shadow theatre (Dala Dala) and documentary ('News From Nowhere', Christophe Van Collie).

Within the discovery of the world of sounds and transformation of sounds, she started a toy band 'The Crappy Mini Band' , where all small instruments and objects are used to their maximum. Her growing interest in electronics made her on a journey of discovery with analog synths and electronics. She currently also plays for dancers, gives workshops in free improvised music and plays/played with musicians such as Joao Lobo, Mathieu Ha, Daysuke Takaoka, Gregoire Tirtiaux, Mori-Shige and many more.
http://ww.myspace.com/pakyanlau

by Wim Lots 

"Piano, Forte" by Giovanni Di Domenico

ZATERDAG / SAMEDI / SATURDAY
13 March • 21:00 • 8€

NL / Samen met GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO presenteert les ateliers claus “Piano, Forte”, een productie die de klankaspecten onderzoekt van de meest gebruikte materialen voor muziekinstrumenten: Hout & metaal. Telkens vervormd en geplooid naar het ideaalbeeld van het instrument zorgen zij voor een bepaald timbre, sfeer en identiteit. Vanuit deze twee basismaterialen ontwierp Giovanni Di Domenico een gamma aan alternatieve instrumenten. Buizen, platen, kommen en schalen vormen de ingrediënten van een innemende klankwereld die de volledige ruimte van les ateliers claus zal inpalmen. De typische hout- en metaalklanken gaan op hun beurt de dialoog aan met klassieke instrumenten als viool en piano. Samen met Manja Ristic, Pak Yan Lau en Mathieu Calleja zal Giovanni Di Domenico een voorstelling van ongeveer 2 uur opvoeren, met de zaal als klankkast. Een uitzonderlijk klanklandschap waar je letterlijk in verloren mag lopen op basis van twee van de oudste en veelzijdigste materialen in de wereld.

FR / Avec GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO, les ateliers claus présentent "Piano Forte", une production qui se penche sur les diverses qualités sonores de deux des matériaux les plus utilisés pour la construction des instruments: le bois et le métal. Façonnés au service de l'instrument, ils sont responsables de son timbre, de son humeur et son identité. En prenant ces deux matériaux comme point de départ, Giovanni a conçu un dispositif qui se prête à exprimer les caractéristiques du bois et du métal. Assiettes, bols et des tubes sont les ingrédients d'un étonnant monde de sons. Les sons typiques du bois et du métal agiront en interaction avec des instruments plus traditionnels comme le violon et le piano, de façon à susciter un vrai dialogue. En collaboration avec Manja Ristic, Pak Yan Lau et Mathieu Calleja, Giovanni Di Domenico se produira pendant environ 2 heures, utilisant les ateliers claus comme caisse de résonance géante. Une ambiance sonore exceptionnelle fabriqués à partir de deux des matériaux les plus anciens et les plus polyvalents au monde.

EN / Together with GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO les ateliers claus presents “Piano, Forte”, a production that examines the various tonal qualities of two of the most used materials for instruments: wood and metal. Always bent & shaped after the image of their instrument, they're responsible for a certain timbre, mood and identity. Taking these two materials as a starting point, Giovanni designed instruments that lend themselves to express the characteristics of wood and metal. Plates, bowls and tubes are the ingredients of a surprising world of sound. The typical sounds of wood and metal will interact with more traditional instruments as the violin and the piano, this way engaging in an interesting dialogue. Together with Manja Ristic, Pak Yan Lau and Mathieu Calleja, Giovanni Di Domenico will perform for about 2 hours, with les ateliers claus as a giant sound box. An exceptional soundscape made from two of the oldest and most versatile materials in the world.

LINKS /
http://www.myspace.com/giovannididomenico