Time –
Thursday
22:30
Venue – Landmark
New project!
Omar Johnsen (Casiokids) interviews Kerry Yong:
Q How did you come to use Casio keyboards in contemporary music settings?
A It came slightly by accident and is still quite a new project: I was booked to play in a new series called Kämmer Klang in East London that experiments with performing ‘serious’ new music in different settings – like bars. The venue had a piano there on the day the organiser visited it. But then the piano disappeared – the venue hadn’t made it clear that it wasn’t always there. Rather than withdraw, I thought of a crazy substitute. Although these works were originally for piano with electronics, Aitsi by Scelsi also existed as a string quartet and I always wondered if it could work on electric guitars. And Stockhausen’s Klavierstuck XVI allows for the inclusion of electronic synthesizers and samplers. At the same time, a friend had lent me his Casio keyboard (an MT-210), which we were using to make lo-fi retro-sounding music at church. So the experiment of retro-adapting works for an 80s Casiotone began: the project COVER ME CASIO was born.
Q What do think about Walter/Wendy Carlos (with the use of Moog synthesizers on "Switched on Bach") or other people performing or recording music from the classical world with so called non-traditional instruments?
A I have a generally positive view of adapting music for new forces. I LOVE the Wendy Carlos’s Switched on Bach: they bring out aspects of the music that are killed by a certain seriousness and preciousness in classical performance. And the thing is, great performances of Bach will still continue – it’s very robust music and the diversity is refreshing and illuminating. As for performing or adapting music that isn’t your mother-tongue – I see great value in it: sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t. But it’s worth giving it a go. And even if the result has a somewhat limited shelf-life, you still learn and experience something new from both musics. And it’s a kind of dare too – the risk is actually quite fun!
Q What are are the reactions like to your casio-oriented performances?
A It certainly depends who you ask. So far, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive only positive reactions, a few baffled but curious ones, but mostly very enthusiastic. However, I did receive one negative reaction to the performance of one work: that it was ‘totally wrong’. I try to take this in the best possible light…
Q I know you are familiar with the Bergen-based composer Knut Vaage. What fascinates you about his work?
A Knut Vaage has an excellent imagination for colour and drama. The Electra pieces (which I will newly adapt for the Festival) have a wonderful palette of colour, noise and space, and a great sense for pacing and action.
Q Which Casio sound (preset) is your favourite?
A But there are twenty delightful ones to choose from – not including the beats and accompaniments! I’ll try to name my top four: vibraphone, ‘funny’, synth guitar and jazz organ. But I want to include more!
Artists:
Casiokids
Kerry Yong