Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

SYNAESTHESIA+ is a collaboration between the Museum of Old and New Art and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra that takes visitors on a two-day journey through a private playground of music, colour and art. An experience where music forms secret patterns in your mind and colours become an aural revelation. August 16 to 17, 2014. Synaesthesia+ mixes the senses and dramatically impacts how the world is perceived. Only 1 in 2000 people experience the phenomenon of ‘synaesthesia’, and they are in excellent company: Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, David Hockney, György Ligeti, Franz Liszt, Olivier Messiaen, Marilyn Monroe, Geoffrey Rush, Vincent Van Gogh, Stevie Wonder and many more. Guests enter MONA’s subterranean galleries to partake of aural, visual and oral feasts.

“This will be a journey of play, exploration and private immersion,” says SYNAESTHESIA+ co-Artistic Director Brian Ritchie. “Musicians will play old and new music as they move through MONA’s galleries, sparking differing levels of counterpoint. They will perform with custom-designed lighting installations as multiple musical themes happening simultaneously across different spaces.”

“The SYNAESTHESIA+ journey begins with a special commission by Matthew Hindson, featuring 50 musicians from the TSO spread across MONA’s subterranean levels and spaces,” says TSO Chief Conductor and MONA Synaesthesia+ co-Artistic Director, Marko Letonja. “It will bring the entire museum into resonance in an unforgettable way before Richard Tognetti immediately launches into one of 20th century Romanian composer György Ligeti’s fiendish difficult works. Ligeti was himself a synaesthete.”

Another 20th century synaethestic composer featured is Olivier Messiaen, whose Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jesus is a staggeringly unbroken two hours and 15 minutes. Comprised of 20 movements; it’s a major feat for a solo pianist, of which British-based pianist Stephen Osborne, is one of the world’s best.

Known for his brilliant mind and counterpoint, Bach’s sheer mathematical ability to write several lines at once, not only made him a giant in Western classical music, but also the perfect composer to feature in the SYNAESTHESIA+ program.

Another highlight will be the TSO Chorus performing Bach chorales in complete darkness.

Recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey and the TSO will perform Reinventions by Elena Kats-Chernin, based on Bach’s keyboard Inventions and Michael Goldschlager will play music from selected Bach cello suites.

SYNAESTHESIA+ is a total saturation of senses, with music, art, and stupendous feasts created by MONA’s decorated chefs; guests will consume a visual gastronomic experience.

WHEN: Saturday August 16, 3pm-11pm & Sunday August 17, 11am-5.30pm WHERE: Museum of Old and New Art, 655 Main Rd, Berriedale, Hobart. BOOKINGS: The all-inclusive price (performance, food and drinks) is $250 per day or $450 for two days. Only 400 tickets are available for the weekend, on a first-come, first-served basis through www.mona.net.au MONA will close to all but SYNAESTHESIA+ guests.

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website or by phone on (03) 6232 4444 or by email to tso@tso.com.au

Featured Australian Works

Re-inventions (recorder with string orchestra) (2004) by Elena Kats-Chernin — performed by Marko Letonja, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Genevieve Lacey

Featured artists

• New work by Matthew Hindson
• Performer Genevieve Lacey
• Performer Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor Marko Letonja