The Lau/Ferretti duo specializes in cutting-edge music for two pianos from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Sbot N Wo creates striking musical performances through extended vocal technique and live electronic reprocessing of the human voice. The combination of possibilities in sound and structure from these four artists promises a varied and creative evening of sound exploration.
The proposed program could include performances by both duos separately, improvisation by all four artists together, as well as the premiere of a new "immersive" work by WL Altman for two pianos, voice and real-time, multi-channel audio processing of the live performers' sounds.
The new work will be a "study" for a full concert-length, 10-channel immersive piece. The conception for the larger work will place the musicians in the centre of the performance space with the audience seated around the players, able to wander at will among the musicians and the 10 loudspeakers. It can also be presented in a more conventional setting, with the musicians on stage, and the audience seats encircled by the 10 loudspeakers. This major work will be ready to present for the 2009-10 concert season.
