Vague Terrain

In its eighth year, Kingston’s unique festival of adventurous sound performance TONE DEAF presents a special focus on the eminent American composer of experimental music and sound installations Alvin Lucier (pictured above). Since the mid-1960s, Lucier has been a pioneering force in music and sound art, whether working with a brainwave-activated percussion orchestra or traditional chamber ensembles. His recent works include a series of sound installations and works for solo instruments, ensembles, and orchestra in which, by means of close tunings with pure tones, sound waves are caused to spin through space.

Tone Deaf 8 will feature a week-long exhibition of two Lucier sound installation works at Modern Fuel, with an opening reception to mark the start of the weekend’s program of concerts at the Artel and Sydenham Street United Church, and a day of discussion at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Tone Deaf 8 affords a great opportunity to encounter one of the masters of contemporary music.

Also performing in Tone Deaf 8 are two former students of Alvin Lucier, well known as experimental composers in their own right. Nicolas Collins (Chicago) is widely known for his electronic music, developed around homemade devices and hacking of everyday electronics such as CD players. Ben Manley (New York City) creates intense improvised performances exploring the natural variability of wind, amplified small vibrations, and resonating objects to generate dynamic musical environments

Tone Deaf 8 is supported by Modern Fuel Gallery, Queen's University, and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Alvin Lucier's appearance is made possible through the Queen's University Visiting Artist Program.

Alvin Lucier was born in 1931 in Nashua, New Hampshire. Since 1970 he has taught at Wesleyan University where he is the John Spencer Camp Professor of Music.

Nicolas Collins studied composition with Alvin Lucier at Wesleyan University, worked for many years with electronic music pioneer David Tudor, and has collaborated with numerous soloist and ensembles around the world.  He is currently Chair of the Department of Sound at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Ben Manley studied music at Wesleyan University with Alvin Lucier and Ron Kuivila. He presents electroacoustic performances and installations that call attention to interests in sonic potential and the imagination of sound energy.

Schedule of Events:

October 23-31 at Modern Fuel Gallery, 21 Queen Street
Alvin Lucier: Installation Works
Music On A Long Thin Wire,
The Queen Of The South
realized by Ben Manley
Reception 10/23, 6PM

October 23 at The Artel, 205 Sydenham Street 
Nicolas Collins & Ben Manley: A Really Live Electronics Concert, 9PM
$5 for students, $10 general

October 24 at Sydenham St. United Church, 82 Sydenham Street
Alvin Lucier: Two Portrait Concerts with Anne Bourne (cello) and Michel Sczcesniak (piano), 4 & 7PM. Reception and Q&A with Alvin Lucier following the 4PM concert.
Each concert: $5 for students, $10 general

October 25 at Agnes Etherington Art Centre , University Ave. at Bader Lane
A day of discussion about the work of Alvin Lucier
A talk by Alvin Lucier, 11AM
A talk by Nicolas Collins, 2PM
Panel discussion with Alvin Lucier, Nicolas Collins, Ben Manley, Anne Bourne, Clive Robertson, and
others, 3:30PM

Festival Pass for all 3 concerts: $12 for students, $20 general.  All October 25 discussions are free admission

For further information, contact:

Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre
21A Queen St, Kingston, ON K7K 1A1 | info@tone-deaf.org
(613) 548-4883 | www.modernfuel.org | www.tone-deaf.org