A ’machine orchestra of the future’—music that combines electronics, Indian classical music, robots and dance—is coming to Wellington this week.

International sonic arts performers Tomie Hahn and Curtis Bahn (USA) will play at a free public concert as part of the Fridays at Five series from the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM).

Sonic arts uses electronic musical instruments. Hahn and Bahn mix the electronic sound with dance and Indian classical music to create striking visual performances. Their experimental and interactive music draws from their eclectic backgrounds.

Hahn and Bahn’s visit to New Zealand is supported by the Embassy of the United States of America.

Fridays at Five concert, 20 August

International sonic arts performers Tomie Hahn and Curtis Bahn will perform with sonic arts lecturer Ajay Kapur and graduates from the New Zealand School of Music.

The Fridays at Five concert—will feature the premiere of a Hahn and Bahn-commissioned work by KarmetiK, The Machine Orchestra—which brings together custom-built robotic musical instruments and human performers with modified instruments.

Fridays at Five concert—Hahn and Bahn

Friday 20 August, 5.15pm

Ilott Theatre, Wellington Town Hall

Free entry


About the artists

Tomie Hahn is a performer and ethnologist whose activities span a wide range from Japanese traditional performing arts to Monster Truck rallies, interactive dance to relationships of technology and culture. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of the Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

She has collaborated with Curtis Bahn, for several decades in the development of experimental intermedia works and new performance technologies.

Curtis Bahn is a composer and improviser who specialises in live interactive electronic performance. He received his PhD in music composition from Princeton University and from 1986-1993 was the Technical Director of the Center for Computer Music at the City University of New York.

Currently he continues this work in computer music at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy New York.

About the New Zealand School of Music

The New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) is a centre of musical excellence supported by Victoria and Massey Universities. For more information visit www.nzsm.ac.nz.