I went to see a concert at the Sibelius Academy on friday. It was part of the Clapping Music festival which celebrates the minimalistic style of composing. The choral pieces were really interesting and a big thing for me was to meet Michael Nyman. I've been a fan of his music for well over a decade. Naturally I had to be also a little bit of a fanboy and got "The Claim" CD signed for Janne. He reminded me to come also on saturday to hear the concert pieces performed with six pianos. The final piece by Steve Reich was quite extraordinary with all six pianos playing together and in different meters, creating sonic layers that sounded at times like completely different instruments.
Michael Nyman also gave some lectures at the academy. I attended the one concerning film music today. It was great to hear some "inside" perspective from the business. It ain't all easy or less meaningful then concert works and I feel that it is largely dismissed for no reason in the "classical" circles. I think that it is a little bit like the school of "fine art" and free art against professional illustration and graphic design. The traditional sides tend to think that it's like committing adultery or something. I say that in both music and visual art it's more of working under certain circumstances and a budget (patrons anyone?) to come up with art rather than drinking your grants in the local pub, ranting about the society and what is true meaningful art. Of course by saying this I don't mean that all film music is good or has great "artistic" value. Hell no, a large portion of it is bland crap and so is a large portion of illustration and design but that's the way it goes and some good ones find their way to the top of the heap.
What about this pic here then, is it art :)? You be the judge of it. I just felt inspired for a quick doodle after seeing a screening of Jane Campion's The Piano, which Michael Nyman presented and talked a little about composing the music. By the way, a fun fact was that Campion actually said to Nyman on the phone when she was hiring him to do the score that: "oh and I don't want any of your Greenaway shit." I rest my case.