With Spitalfields Music Festival 2017 just around the corner we’ve been catching up with the artists and ensembles involved to find out about what to expect at their performances and what inspires them to create.
Here’s drummer and composer Greg Saunier talking about his involvement in the festival…
How have you found working with André/Spitalfields Music Festival as a part of this festival?
Trickiest part has been planning London parking. Other than that it’s been brilliant. What a great idea they cooked up, talking about Fugazi and contemporary classical music in the same breath. A lot of us are out here living that reality but it’s rarely acknowledged in press or academia or record store layout.
What’s your involvement in the festival?
I’m going to take part in the panel discussion on Dec. 7, and there will be performances of three pieces I wrote for the occasion: instrumental solos that are arrangements of Fugazi songs. It’s three songs from their album In On The Kill Taker: “Great Cop” for violin, “Cassavetes” for bass clarinet, and “Returning the Screw” for viola da gamba. Imagining a way to put their post-hardcore super-aggro thing onto a viola da gamba, that barely audible instrument from the 17th century, was an amazingly fun challenge.
How do you define the music you create?
Ooh, yikes. I only get that question from music journalists and immigration officers. Never know what to say. Which only lengthens the wait for those behind me in the queue. I’m sorry. I think the music is its own definition.
Best gig you’ve ever seen?
Chris Cohen.
You can hear Greg Saunier’s Instrument Solos at These Two Wars: In Focus, Thursday 7 December, 7pm. Book Now!