Martin Messier, an imaginative young Montreal artist who can compose simultaneously with physical objects, images and sound, is celebrating today’s worldwide Fête de la Musique with sewing machines in Derry, Ireland.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
His installation, the Sewing Machine Orchestra, is appears today at the appropriately named, artistically repurposed Shirt Factory — after several years of making avant-garde festival rounds, including Mutek and Festival TransAmériques in Canada.
Messier created Sewing Machine Orchestra through his music-and-movement laboratory, 14 lieux (which translates as 14 places).
This is how the artist describes what he does: “Messier doesn’t sew; he resuscitates old Singers put to sleep years ago in order to release, in magical ways, the luminous and sonorous presence of the past.”
Here is a minute of Messier’s 20-minute installation show, taken last year:
It’s not like Toronto is in desperate need of more music — but nor is Paris, where Fête de la Musique started on this day 31 years ago.
The 24-hour-long festival intentionally placed on the first day of summer, celebrates all music — by professionals and amateurs alike — in nearly 500 cities around the world.
Except Toronto.
All concerts are supposed to be free.
The French consulate tried to stimulate interest here by organizing outdoor concerts in and around Yorkville nearly 10 years ago, but few people noticed on that gorgeous, sunny first day of summer.
I guess in this part of the world, just having daylight from 5:36 a.m. to 9:03 p.m. is reason enough to celebrate.
And there are free outdoor concerts anyway, courtesy of Luminato’s hub at David Pecaut Square and the TD Toronto Jazz Festival.
Particularly notable at Luminato tonight and tomorrow afternoon is the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, reflecting the everyone-welcome spirit of Fête de la Musique.
Tonight: It’s a Verdi and Wagner extravaganza, with R. Murray Schafer’s Scorpio tossed in for local content. It starts at 8 p.m.
Tomorrow: It’s Music Mob, come-one, come-all concert featuring professionals and anyone capable of hiking their instrument to David Pecaut Square to create what could become the largest orchestra to ever assemble under a blazing midday sun in Toronto. The madness begins at 2 p.m.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
