Radical 2 presents an evening of theatrically driven percussion music. The program will include two premiers by Radical 2′s own Dennis Sullivan: Skycycle Variations (for solo vibraphone, Thai gongs, voice, and electronics) and Apocalypse Ready (for speaking/singing percussion quartet).
Also on the bill will be the Mobius Percussion Quartet. They will be giving a full performance of Kate Neal’s what hath II among other exciting pieces for percussion quartet.
Radical 2 is a performance duo based in Brooklyn, NY. Grounded in the tradition of contemporary classical percussion, Radical 2 extends this performance practice by exploring compositions that use theatrical vocal techniques and prototype electronics. By integrating the human voice via extended techniques and oddly contextualized speech, Radical 2 is actively blurring the lines between their vocal chords and percussion instruments. While also making use of physical theater, their performances range from whimsical and witty, to somber and nebulous, to farcical and just plain absurd. With electronics, Radical 2 uses newly designed instruments that allow the use of live electronics into their performances which provide strong engagement between the audience and the electronic sound worlds. Radical 2 extends the role of classical percussionists into actors and electronic musicians, yet still relying on the percussionist’s sense of extended techniques and new music performance practice.
Radical 2 is Levy Lornenzo and Dennis Sullivan. They will be joined by Josh Perry and Chris Graham of Iktus Percussion.
The Mobius Percussion Quartet aims to maintain a versatile repertoire to engage and share our passion for music of living composers with our communities. Though trained to be comfortable with the rigorous physicality necessary to play percussion, we derive inspiration from other art forms to convey a story through the subtle use of body language, creating a fresh perspective on musical performance. In addition to performing pieces incorporating choreography, the quartet believes in promoting music written by living composers and creating a comprehensive sonic experience for audience members of all backgrounds.
The group is composed of David Degge, Mika Godbole, Yumi Tamashiro and Frank Tyl, who formed the ensemble after working together at the first annual Sō Percussion Summer Institute in Princeton, NJ.
