Acoustic and more, Inclusive Creativity at Rich Mix

Frank Lyons with Acoustronic and members of the
Inclusive Creativity project

Inclusive Creativity is a concept developed by composer Frank Lyons of Ulster University which aims to make performance and composition more inclusive by developing innovative instrumental technology and methodologies that allow for side-by-side performance with disabled musicians alongside professional musicians. At Rich Mix on 5 September 2017, Acoustronic a group of disabled musicians using tablets and other new music technology will join the Benyounes Quartet for an immersive evening of music including a performance of Frank Lyons Non Zero Sum and George Crumb's Black Angel.

Lyons' new piece derives from game theory concepts in which the amplified string quartet and five digital instruments come together and compete with no winner or loser, including improvisations whereby the players respond to graphic symbols drawn in real time using colour and shape coding. Acoustronic will perform two of their own piece, Music for 5 and Voices for which combine samples, loops and some free improvisation, and the Benyounes Quartet will perform George Crumb's iconic Black Angels for amplified string quartet.

In 2015, three partner organisations (Walled City Music, Drake Music and St. Magnus International Festival) received funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to develop a pilot participatory project using ‘inclusive creativity’ as its driving principle. Under the direction of professor Lyons, an ensemble of disabled and non-disabled artists met regularly to improvise and compose music together in Derry/Lononderry, using assistive music technology (AMT) and more conventional musical instruments. This ensemble became Acoustronic.

Full details from the Rich Mix website.