Champ d' Action & Blindman

The two ensembles in residence at deSingel jointly pay tribute to the American composer James Tenney, who died in 2006. The media scarcely mentioned his death, even though his name has constantly cropped up in the American musical history of the last forty years. He collaborated with Cage, Reich and Glass and was an influential theoretician. He made elegant acoustic and electronic works and his spectral compositions are here programmed along with two outstanding European spectralists: Grisey and Scelsi. The artistic leaders of the two ensembles, Sleichim and Verstockt, complete the evening with pieces from their new works. Both Blindman and Champ d' Action are known for their non-conformist approach to presenting new music. They seek out unusual locations or use the concert hall in an innovative way. With lighting and effects they transform their concerts into something more than we have come to expect in a classical environment. In 'Critical Band' they join forces for the first time in their shared passion for the music of James Tenney.