PIANIST, inventor and performer Sarah Nicolls will bring her Inside-Out Piano to York for a week to present three events under the title of Moments Of Weightlessness.
From Monday to Sunday, the unique instrument will be in situ on the University of York campus, beginning with Monday's launch event from 12.3pm to 1pm in the Berrick Saul Building, where Sarah will talk about her piano and her Moments Of Weightlessness tour.
From Monday at 1pm to Thursday at 5pm, Sarah's Inside-Out Piano installation will be on show and can be seen up close free of charge, ahead of the piano being moved to the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, for her 7pm concert on February 27.
"I developed my unique Inside-Out Piano to explore the belly of the instrument and to coax out some of its hidden sounds," she says. "In this solo show, I'll explore the extraordinary unexpected characteristics of the instrument, moving it around the stage to gradually reveal my parallel journey into motherhood."
Sarah's instrument is restructured and designed to be played on the inside by plucking strings. Standing at 2.5 metres tall, this vertical grand can swing side to side like an enormous clock on account of the frame mechanism it sits on. Consequently, in her concert, the audience will see her monumental piano in surprising motion and hear beautiful melodies and textures in a programme of songs mixed with stories of creativity and contemplation on the moments in life where everything seems to stand still.
"I firmly believe in embossing new music in interesting contexts and I wanted to explore adding theatrical elements to a music show, to engage audiences less familiar with the experimental or exploratory sounds that I compose and play," says Sarah, whose Moments Of Weightlessness was commissioned by Brighton Dome as part of Earsthetic 2014.
Sarah's week in York will conclude with an informal family workshop on February 28 at 11am in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York. The session will include the chance to play her unique Inside-Out Piano, and all are welcome, including accompanied children of all ages.
For concert tickets, visit yorkconcerts.co.uk/ programme/momentsofweightlessness; for workshop tickets, york.ac.uk/concerts/programme/inside-outpianoworkshop
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