Saxophonist Gerard McChrystal and pianist Stephen de Pledge will give the first performances of new works by Ian Wilson and Greg Caffrey during the Dartington Summer School on 13 August.

A ‘duet for one performer’, Ondes Ombragées, for alto saxophone, is the latest in Ian Wilson’s ‘shadow’ series in which, explains the composer, ‘the first half of the solo work is recorded onto DAT as it is performed [and] then that recording is immediately played back into the performing space while the second half of the work, containing new material, is played along with it, allowing the first-half material to be expanded upon and commented on, and heard in a new context’.

Written for soprano sax and piano, Greg Caffrey describes his work, Honk, as ‘quite a playfully aggressive little piece that exploits a characteristic of the former instrument – the honk in the lower register! This honking sound humorously permeates the piece as the piano crashes around in a rhythmic counterpoint’.

Commissioned by McChrystal, the works will feature in a wide-ranging programme that also includes music by Francaix, Piazzolla and Richard Ingram.

For further details, see the Calendar.

Posted: 21 July 2007