What would we humans do if we knew none of our gods were watching? Real time projection by Australian multi-media artist Tim Gruchy turns the space into a work of art. Also featuring additional compositions from David Downes and Jack Hooker plus guest musicians. I was inspired by the rhythmic music of the world we live in. Today this means music of over years of human history. So there is music inspired by very old traditions from Africa, Persia, Greece, and there is music inspired by dubstep, drum'n'bass, classical music old and new , jazz, rock, and electronica.
It's a very wide spectrum of sources and influences. When I write music what I most want to do is celebrate positive energy, especially the beautiful connections that music can create between us during live performance. Strike are one of the most positively charged groups I've ever worked with and written for. Thinking about their unassumingly kiwi yet powerful and virtuosic stage presence also inspired me a great deal when creating the work.
I've always felt Strike express beautifully the idea of musical 'play'. As hard as they work and they do work hard! I love this and it shaped the way I approached the music in Between Zero and One. The idea Between Zero and One? If the big bang creates an expanding universe that eventually collapses under its own weight only to explode again and repeat the cycle endlessly; how does something especially something the size of the universe become nothing? And how does nothing become something?
How does zero become one? This show was inspired by the thought 'what if there was time between the universe not existing and then existing again?
What is there was a pause button — creating a sustained moment between zero and one? And what if we were somehow there? What would we do? Who would we be? Have you composed for Strike before? It's also the first time I really got to workshop material and develop it in an extremely energized environment. It was a terrific experience, very hands on. They are extraordinary collaborators, willing to go on any journey to explore the potential of an idea. They are a world class ensemble, not just as performers of percussion music, but each of them as creative individuals and also as an ensemble with a massive storehouse of accumulated experience and knowledge.
