The music department’s annual Practical Project draws together new students and returning students to create a production in just six weeks.  This year’s ‘prac proj’ extends the format beyond the department and campus with a four-day festival celebrating the centenary of American composer and visionary John Cage – the largest such event in the UK this year.  These three concerts featuring works by Cage, his friends and his aesthetic progenitors are just part of the celebration; for a full schedule, go to  www.gettingnowhere.org.  

In addition, there are several free daytime events open to the public.  On Thursday 15th at 1.00pm, pianist Nicky Losseff performs Cage's Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano.  Written shortly after Cage became interested in Indian philosophy, the individual pieces are linked to emotions with a huge range of moods, from hesitant and inquisitive to expansive and reflective.  The piano is 'prepared' with screws, bolts and pieces of rubber between the strings, transforming the resonances, but not damaging the instrument!

Getting Nowhere comprises three separate concerts:

Wednesday 14 November 7.30pm
Cage          Concerto for Prepared Piano and Orchestra
Feldman     Rothko Chapel
Satie          Socrate
Pianist Nicky Losseff joins the University orchestra for Cage’s Concerto for Prepared Piano and Orchestra; Chimera and The 24 join forces for Morton Feldman’s luminous Rothko Chapel; and students and players from Getting Nowhere present Eric Satie’s symphonic drama Socrate. 

Thursday 15 November 7.30pm
Brown       Available Forms I
Cowell       26 Simultaneous Mosaics
Wolff         Changing the System
Cage         Concert for Piano and Orchestra/Aria/Fontana Mix
Three classics of ‘open form’ by Earle Brown, Henry Cowell, and Christian Wolff are followed by a monumental performance of Cage’s Concert for Piano and Orchestra, featuring musicians from Getting Nowhere, visiting artist Joseph Houston  and international guests. 

Friday 16 November 7.30pm
Harrison             Concerto for Piano with Gamelan Orchestra
Cage                  Six Melodies
Harrison/Cage    Double Music
Cage                  Music of Changes, Book IV
Cage                  Fourteen
Lou Harrison shares the programme with John Cage:  Nicky Losseff plays Harrison’s Concerto for Piano with Gamelan Orchestra, Joseph Houston joins Getting Nowhere for Cage’s Fourteen, and the Getting Nowhere percussion quartet plays Cage and Harrison’s collaborative composition, Double Music.

 Supported by Vicky Cumberland

To book special Getting Everywhere tickets for two or more concerts, please contact the Box Office; for tickets for individual concerts please go to the relevant page from the What's on link.