Contemplating is...
Award-winning composer, performer and visual artist Robert Szymanek makes his directorial debut with Contemplating, a concert spectacular for the ears, eyes and mind. The world premiere takes place at 7:30pm on Friday 18th July at the Jerwood Hall at LSO St Luke's.*
Presented in conjunction with London Symphony Orchestra's Soundhub Scheme for emerging composers, and under the guidance of opera Director Keith Warner, this is a concert like no other: a suite of Robert's new songs and instrumental pieces dramatised for the stage. Artists Kira Zhigalina and Anna Salmane provide the visual backdrop, together with origami from Rebecca Ephgrave and innovative lighting design from Willow Bleasdale.
Here is Robert on the project:
"This is my most ambitious work to date. I've brought together a team of wonderful musicians and artists. Keith has been just an amazing mentor, and he's raving about it as much as us."
And the subject? Contemplating! Or more importantly, the discoveries we all make through the act of contemplation. About ourselves, each other, the world around us.
"We're putting everything we've got into it to make it the remarkable event we all feel it should be. There is already interest from other venues for future performances. More importantly, however, I think we've got something that audiences will really enjoy and gain a lot from. We've already had a couple of previews of various pieces with excellent feedback."
More information about all the artists and musicians involved in the project can be found at the bottom of this page.
*The concert is free entry. To reserve your seats, please write to robert@robertszymanek.com.
What We Need
The project has been made possible through the LSO's Soundhub Scheme for emerging composers. They have granted five 3-hour sessions in the Jerwood Hall for rehearsals together with technical support for the concert.
Other funding has come through a generous award from the Hinrichsen Foundation. This has been used to pay all the musicians and artists properly for their involvement. As Director, Robert has been responsible for hiring the other artists. He is not taking any money for himself or looking to make financial gain.
The concert has incurred an additional £2,515 in technical fees from LSO St Luke's, which need to be paid by the end of August 2014. These comprise of:
- £1,800 for additional technical support. This comes in the form of three hired technicians who will operate the lighting rigs, screen projector and PA system in the hall during rehearsals. Each technician bares a cost of £200 per session in the hall. They are each required for three sessions, bringing the total cost to £1,800.
- £495 for additional hall hire. Because of the scale of the event, it has been necessary to hire the Jerwood Hall for an extra 3-hour session in addition to the sessions provided by the LSO Soundhub Scheme. The usual cost of the hall for 3 hours is close to £1,500, but we have been able to secure a discounted rate.
- £150 for concert stewards. Three LSO stewards need to be hired for the concert, with a cost of £50 each for their work over the whole day and through the event.
- £70 for piano tuning. The Steinway Grand piano in the Jerwood Hall is a remarkable instrument that requires regular maintenance. With all the moving required for rehearsals and the concert, the piano needs to be tuned on the day of the performance. £70 is the standard rate for LSO St Luke's piano tuners.
There is a '4% of the target' fee from Indiegogo.com. This comes to just over £100. And finally there is an approximate 3.5% PayPal fee for all transactions. This is £88, taking the total we are looking to raise to to £2700.
Donations and Perks
All donations will be gratefully received. A variety of perks have been created, including a CD of music from the concert and copies of Robert Szymanek's previous releases. These can either be collected on the night of the concert if you are attending, or they can be posted to you to arrive in early August.
What Happens If the Target is Not Reached
This fund-raising scheme is based on Indiegogo's Flexible Funding package. That means that whether or not we reach our target, all funds will be kept and go towards the LSO fees.
However, if we do not reach our target, Indiegogo.com will increase their fee to 9% of the target. This will be paid from the funds raised.
The concert will go ahead in July as planned no matter what. If the target is not reached, the remainder of the fees will be sourced from Robert's own finances.
People, People, People
Robert Szymanek's music has been performed around the world by some of the world's leading ensembles and soloists (BBC Singers, Vasko Vassilev, Barbican Mainstage, Southbank Centre; Youth Orchestra of the Middle East in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Peter Davoran at the Kyoto Music Festival). In 2009 he was shortlisted for a British Composers Award and in 2012 he received his PhD in Composition from the Royal Academy of Music, working with Brian Elias.
Kira Zhigalina (Ki Ra) is a multimedia artist graduated from Central St. Martins. She created installations and visual projections for Secret Cinema, London Contemporary Orchestra, London Zoo, Musion Holographic Systems, Tate Modern, onedotzero, Vivienne Westwood Show, The Leaf Label, Fruit for the Apocalypse, Unfashion Show, and the Rambert Dance Company. Kira won Kinetica Award in 2012 at Kinetica Artfair, and in 2010 she won an award for performance at MAMAs 2010.
Anna Salmane is a visual artist working with installation, photography andvideo. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Goldsmiths College, University of London and Master of Philosophy from University of Latvia. She has been participating in group exhibitions since 2001 and has had solo shows in London, Nottingham and Riga. In 2013, her public art work 'For Reasons Unknown' was shortlisted for Latvian Contemporary Art Prize nomination.
Willow Bleasdale creates lighting designs for theatre, dance and opera; and lighting effects and soft circuits for homewares, hand-held properties and wearable tech.Willow attends the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and is currently in her final year of the Theatre Practice Lighting Design course. She recently designed and built a light installation for the Vivid Festival of Lighting, Music and Ideas in Sydney.
Musicians: Percussion: Sarah Mason (LPO, Glyndebourne), Barnaby Archer (ENO, Les Miserables), Harp: Mali Llywelyn (Race Horses); Piano: Kate Halsall (Piano Circus); Flute: Joshua Batty (LSO, Britten Sinfonia); Violin: Alice Barron (WOMAD), Sarah Hill (Sautinne Quartet), Eugene Feygelson (iequalsu Festival); Viola: Jenny Wilkinson (RPCO). Soprano Ruth Hopkins (K'antu Ensemble); Mezzo Soprano Lucie Lourvrier (Sorbonne Schola Cantorum). The concert also features the Wave Theremin, invented by Horst Gruhle.
