Aisha Orazbayeva & Peter Zinovieff: Perfomance and Q+A

>>> £5 Advance tickets (Wegottickets) >>> Find this event on Facebook

Saturday 9th March, 7pm | St. Margaret's House Settlement, 21 Old Ford Road E2 9PL

Part of our Pioneers of Electronic Music festival.

We're delighted to announce a special joint performance by pioneering innovator of electronic music Peter Zinovieff and acclaimed violinist Aisha Orazbayeva. The pair will be performing their collaborative work OUR, for violin and computer, which appears on Aisha's album Outside.

Zinovieff, who co-founded the Electronic Music Studios in 1969 and developed the iconic VCS3 synthesiser, will also be giving a Q+A, discussing his involvement in the field and giving his thoughts on wider issues in electronic music.

To be accompanied by a screening of the documentary What the Future Sounded Like (2008), an award winning short documentary focusing on the work of Zinovieff, Tristram Cary and others affiliated with EMS during the 1970s.

Electronic Music On Screen: Double Bill at The Rio

In the 1950s electronic music entered dramatically into the public consciousness for the first time, largely thanks to its growing use in film and television. Among the seminal moments were these two classics of Hollywood science fiction, which will be screened back to back with introductory talks from Dr Miguel Mera, a renowned film music expert at City University.

>>> £9.50 Advance tickets - concessions available

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Sunday 10th March, 1pm | The Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High St, E8 2PB

Part of our Pioneers of Electronic Music festival.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Landmark sci-fi and a classic Cold War allegory in which a Christ-like alien Klaatu ('Mr. Carpenter' is the name he adopts) comes to Earth preaching a message of salvation for mankind: stop fighting or be destroyed. The appearance of now legendary giant robot Gort and the much used phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" have ensured the film's continued cult status, but it also features one of composer Bernard Herrmann's most admired scores, featuring the theremin and other electronic instruments, all of which must certainly have seemed out of this world in 1951.

Forbidden Planet (1955)

The planet Altair-4, the setting for this first out of this world adaptation of Shakespeare's 'The Tempest', is indeed an isle full of strange noises. It is home to Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon), his daughter (Anne Francis), a dutiful robot named Robby but also to a mysterious terror. Leslie Nielsen plays the commander who brings his space-cruiser crew to discover what exactly is going on there. A landmark all-electronic musical soundscape score devised by Louis and Bebe Barron is as memorable as the set design and pioneering special effects.

6th March | Nonclassical @ The Macbeth: Perspectives on Daphne Oram

Audiovisual instruments inspired by the life and work of Daphne Oram. Daphne Oram created the Oramics machine in order to make her own unique experimental art – a sound unlike anyone else.

We're exploring some of Daphne's ideas specifically during the concert - most notably, Tom Richards is performing using a new device he has been developing based on Daphne's mini-oramics system, which is being built using components that would have been available to her at the time.

Chris Weaver will also be exploring photophonic systems (the use of photocells in sound). Bruno Zamborlin is presenting gesture-based systems derived from analogue signals. Ryo Ikeshiro, Chris Kiefer and Mick Grierson are presenting audiovisual synthesis systems.

The night is part of Nonclassical’s monthly series, also featuring resident DJs Gabriel Prokofiev, Richard Lannoy, and Nwando. This event is in association with Goldsmiths EAVI Research Group.

>>> £5 Advance tickets (Wegottickets)

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Part of our Pioneers of Electronic Music festival.

Feature: Alex Paterson Top 11

As part of our Pioneers of Electronic Music festival, we're returning to XOYO - on Thursday 14th March. Among the highlights is a very special headline DJ set from Alex Paterson of The Orb. He'll be surveying some of the finest moments in electronic dance music history for his set, so to get us in the mood we invited him to pick a spontaneous top ten. He gave us one extra, and also provided us with some brilliant commentary. >>> NONCLASSICAL @ XOYO: More info / advance tickets

1/  E2=E4 by MANUEL GOTTSCHING (1981) 1 hour of pure bliss, a track that launched a 100 versions. A pioneering album

2/ DELUXE ( IMMER WIEDER ) by HARMONIA (1975) Makes me wonder why I bother when I listen to this gem from the godfathers of German electronic musik. Look up "zodiac free arts Klub ".

3/ APOLLO by BRIAN ENO (1983) (Or My Life In A Bush Of Ghosts with David Byrne .... ) Both albums are supreme. Apollo is the soundtrack to "For all mankind", a film made by the astronauts who went to the moon. And My Life In A Bush Of Ghosts is a pioneering masterclass. Gold star

4/ REDCELL : STASIS by B12 (1992) Personal techno from a small band that was a hit with DJs in '89 to '93 . They were up there with The Orb in the early 90's.

5/ SUICIDE by SUICIDE (1977) I saw this lot support The Clash in '78 in Aylesbury. They got bottled off both nights. A vocalist, drum machine, & synth... Very bare, and ' cheree ' is a favourite from 1977

6/ 666 by APHRODITE'S CHILD (1970) Vangelis meets Demis Roussos ... Greek genius and pioneering back in '71 . A real diamond.

7/ WHO'S AFRAID OF THE ART OF NOISE by THE ART OF NOISE (1984) 'Moments in Love' comes from here and a few other classics. From a band formed from sound and vision. Art Of Noise was an original idea that came out of Basing Street studios in the mid 80's ... along with Frankie Goes to Hollywood they had a synth called "the fairlight" - before the Akai samplers.

8/ YOU'RE GETTING BETTER by KEN NORDINE One for the ancient ones of pioneering music , this time for adverts and for me a great relaxing moment is 'fire flies' It's nursery music for grown-ups that believe in Peter Pan.

9/ LOW by DAVID BOWIE (1977) Pioneering. From Berlin via Cluster & Eno . The 2nd side of the LP was my night-time music from '77 to '80. Classic  beauty that takes you on a dream of blissful wonderment ... it has always rocked my dreams.

10/  TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS by KRAFTWERK (1976) Any album by these geniuses. I once met Ralf (we toured with them once). Anyway I asked for a photo with him and he said, "let's take it outside, there's no little fluffy clouds in here!" Blimey, Ralf knew the orb ! I was speechless ... I bought tickets to see them in 1981 at the Lyceum in Covent Garden and had to give my ticket to my girlfriend's mate as I was on bloody tour duty with killing joke!!! Should have called off sick!

11/  ADVENTURES BEYOND THE ULTRAWORLD by THE ORB (1991) Co-penned by yours truly and I'm proud to have placed my thoughts on to vinyl & digital. It's for my children too.. I would like them to be proud of their dad.

Nonclassical / Gabriel Prokofiev in Canada

We're excited to announce three upcoming dates in Canada later this month, where Gabriel Prokofiev will be DJing and presenting some of his compositions. It's our first time in Canada for a while, hope to see some of you there!http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Gabriel+Prokofiev+Stoli+elit+Toasts+Mariinsky+PxPUzgDgsbnl.jpg

Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd February GABRIEL PROKOFIEV w/ ART OF TIME ENSEMBLE Enwave Theatre, Toronto

Featuring Gabriel Prokofiev's String Quartet No. 1 and 'Outta Pulsor' from his Cello Multitracks album, and music by Gavin Bryars and Jonathan Goldsmith. Art of Time is a critically acclaimed Toronto-based ensemble founded by Andrew Burashko.

>>> More information

Sunday 24th February NONCLASSICAL IN QUEBEC l'Agitée, 251, rue Dorchester, Québec

In collaboration with Quebec based artist Daniel Deslauriers, our first Nonclassical night in Quebec.

Featuring live 'conducted improvisation' sets from Fred Lebrasseur and guests from the Quebec Symphony Orchestra: Fred Lebrasseur = chef d'orchestre en improvisation Etienne Lepine-Lafrance = contre-basse Pierre Langevin = clarinette basse Stéphane Fontaine = clarinette Inti Manzi = violon Yana Ouellet = basson Raphael Guay = percussions Alexis Basque = trompette Sarah Bérubé Lalancette = trombone Isabelle Fortier = harpe Marianne Trudel = accordéon

Plus Étienne Nadeau Plamondon (new work for piano and electronics), and a special live remix project from Devil Dandy. With DJ sets from Gabriel Prokofiev between live acts.

>>> More information

Pioneers of Electronic Music

Time Out 'Critic's Choice' / interview

Wednesday 6th March, 8pm: Nonclassical - monthly club-night The Macbeth, Hoxton Street N1 6LP Audiovisual instruments inspired by the life and work of Daphne Oram. Daphne Oram created the Oramics machine in order to make her own unique experimental art - a sound unlike anyone else. Each act in this programme presents a new tool for audiovisual performance and interaction, designed to create new sounds and images to reflect their specific character and approach. The night is part of Nonclassical's monthly series, also featuring resident DJs Richard Lannoy and Nwando. This event is in association with Goldsmiths EAVI Research Group.

Tickets: £5 in advance / £6 on the door >>> More details / Book from Wegottickets

Saturday 9th March, 1pm: Dirty Electronics Synth Lab St. Margaret's House Settlement, 21 Old Ford Road E2 9PL

Professor and regular Wire contributor John Richards leads a 'synth lab' in which participants learn to build their own synthesiser. This approach to building a synth makes for a truly hands-on, practical experience, allowing anybody to take part.  All participants will be invited to perform at the XOYO Club Night.

* MORE PLACES ADDED* - email nwando@nonclassical.co.uk for more information

7pm: Peter Zinovieff and Aisha Orazbayeva Following the workshop, a performance and Q+A with legendary electronic innovator Peter Zinovieff and violinist Aisha Orazbayeva. The pair will be performing some of their recent collaborative work including extracts from OUR, a concerto for violin and computer.

Also featuring a screening of the documentary What The Future Sounded Like, with contributions from Zinovieff among others.

Tickets: £5 advance >>> More details / Book from Wegottickets

Sunday 10th March, 1pm: Cinema Double Bill: The Day The Earth Stood Still / Forbidden Planet Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High St, E8 2PB

We present a double bill at Dalston's Rio Cinema, celebrating two 1950s classics whose use of forward thinking electronic music opened up new worlds of sound: The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951), scored by Bernard Herrmann, and Forbidden Planet (1956), scored by Louis and Bebe Barron.

These films will be preceded by introductory talks from Dr. Miguel Mera, a renowned film music expert at City University.

Tickets: £9.50 (concessions available; includes admission to both screenings) >>> More details / Book tickets from the Rio website / tel. 020 7241 9410

Tuesday 12th March, 7:30 pm: 'Deconstructing Dad' Hackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street  E8 1HE

We're honoured to present the first London screening of Stan Warnow's critically acclaimed documentary Deconstructing Dad, on the life and times of the great American composer and innovator Raymond Scott.

Tickets: £5 / 7 >>> Book tickets from the Hackney Picturehouse website / tel: 0871 902 5734

Thursday 14th March, 8pm: Pioneers of Electronic Music XOYO, Cowper Street EC2A 4AP

At the centre of the festival, we return to XOYO following two hugely popular nights in 2012. A programme celebrating the often unrecognised connections that bridge the pioneers of the 1950s to today's most forward thinking producers:

Raymond Scott's legendary Manhattan Research Project. Scored and arranged by Leon Michener for an ensemble of rare vintage synthesisers. Performed by Michener and guests.

Messiaen | Oraison (1937). Performed on ondes Martenot and 5 mono synths. Performed by Augustin Viard, Matthew Schellhorn, and guests. Stockhausen | Kontakte (1958, version for percussion, piano & electronics). Performed by George Barton and Siwan Mair Rhys Varese | Poeme Electronique (1958) With original film by Le Corbusier.

Dirty Electronics: A 30-piece all electronic ensemble led by John Richards, performing works inspired by Andrew Bentley, Hugh Davis and Richard Orton.

Plus new arrangements and versions of music by Delia Derbyshire, Daphne Oram, and Tristram Cary.

*** Headline DJ set: ALEX PATERSON (THE ORB) *** A very special set traversing the history of cutting edge electronic sound, from one of modern dance music's pioneers.

Tickets: £6 Limited Early Bird / £8 advance >>> More details / Book from Wegottickets

Sunday 17th March, 7:30 pm: The Same Trade As Mozart - Documentary Evening Hackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street  E8 1HE

A selection of films exploring the lives and works of some of the great figures of electronic music, plus performances and presentations.

Films to include:

Practical Electronica (Ian Helliwell, 2011), a boldly experimental film surveying the innovative tape-based work of British pioneer FC Judd. The Same Trade as Mozart (BBC, 1969), an earlier look at electronic music with contributions from Stockhausen, Daphne Oram, Tristram Cary and others. The Delian Mode (Kara Blake, 2009), award winning short documentary on the iconic British sound pioneer Delia Derbyshire.

Plus:

- A presentation from celebrated electroacoustic composer and writer Simon Emmerson, whose career spans five decades at the forefront of new electronic music.

- A rare performance of Tristram Cary's Trios by Ian Helliwell (with reel-to-reel tape, slide projections, and CD players).

Tickets £5 / 7 >>> Book from the Hackney Picturehouse website / tel. 0871 902 5734