Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

Decibel are a Perth new music group that present music featuring acoustic and electronic instruments in concert formats. The second in a series of three concerts in the main gallery space at PICA, Pretty Things, examines instruments not usually thought of as musical. Once extended techniques on conventional instruments reached what many believe to be the maximum effect possible, composers started using objects not usually associated with music creation to create different sound worlds. Pretty Things features a selection of Australian, Western Australian and international compositions that make use of unusual items as instruments.

Decibel are directed by Cat Hope (also flutes and electronics) and are unique in their combination of performers, sound artists, programmers and composers: members Lindsay Vickery (clarinets/saxophones/programming), Stuart James (keyboard/percussion/programming), Tristan Parr (cello) and Malcolm Riddoch (electroacoustics/networking) are some of Perth's most renown new music performers.

The program includes new works by Western Australian composers Lindsay Vickery, Cat Hope,and Chris De Groot, as well as works by Thomas Meadowcroft, John Cage and an arrangement of Scott Walker's 'Clara' from  the 2006 album Drift. A commission by composer Ross Bolleter will see a ruined piano installed in the space. Get ready for bowed knives, laughter tracks, AM radios and meat punching!

The Decibel book Audible Designs on PICA Press and CD disintegration:mutation on hellosQuare; recordings available from PICA.

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website

Featured artists

• New work by Lindsay Vickery
• New work by Cat Hope
• New work by Christopher de Groot
• Music of Thomas Meadowcroft
• New work by Ross Bolleter