The Gauntlet – In New York City and Chicago, choirs will perform composer Sxip Shirey’s 2016 piece, which calls for two rows of 30 singers to engage in a musical dialogue as audience members immerse themselves by walking, at their own pace, through the rows of paired singers.
The stunning Aurora Spiegeltent is set to take pride of place at The Esplanade and you’re invited to experience the intoxicating mix of cabaret, circus and acrobatics that is LIMBO.
Featuring special guest vocalists Aimee Curl and Xavier. Drums Attis Clopton and more
For the third night of the FERUS Festival, Sxip Shirey presents three pieces built around death, disappearance, and returning home. The pieces will be accompanied by the unique dancer Coco Karol, who also does choreography for the show. The show also will feature the puppetry of three notable performers: Basil Twist, Erin Orr, and Chris Green.
On National Sawdust curator Sxip Shirey‘s 50th birthday, Sxip celebrates the 15th anniversary (!) of his Hour of Charm. This special (and acrobatic) birthday and anniversary edition of Sxip’s Hour of Charm features:
Joining Sxip to help him celebrate this momentous occasion is aerial artist Una Minnmah of Circus Una, amazing physical experimental comedian Spencer Novich (Cirque Du Soleil, Strut N Fret), and live drawing by the talented Michael Arthur.
And also special musical guests Taylor Mac, Ned Rothenberg, Lady Rizo, Rachelle Garniez, Attis Clopton and John Alteri.
Acclaimed electro-acoustic composer and performer Sxip Shirey celebrates the release of his new album A Bottle of Whiskey and a Handful of Bees with a non-stop evening of music and performance. Shirey and his band perform songs from Whiskey/Bees including “Cinnamon Stick”, “Woman of Constant Sorrow”, “Penny Red”, “Palms”, and “So Stay” alongside his full arsenal of sonic and performative ideas.
Featuring: Choral Chameleon performing a new piece for “The Gauntlet – The choir you walk through”; The infamous co-joined breathing duet last performed by Sxip Shirey and Rachelle Garniez at TED; A dance party with Sxip’s sousaphone-fueled JANK band; And multiple reverse disc music boxes, marbles and glass bowls, spinning weight plates, extended triple penny whistles, and other sonic surprises alongside the beautiful, sexy and surprising music from Shirey’s new album, A Bottle of Whiskey and a Handful of Bees.
The Gauntlet for the 450th anniversary of the founding of the city Fredrikstad
by Sxip Shirey
Composer and NTA teacher Sxip Shirey is creating musical composition as a present for the 400th anniversary of Fredrikstad which is a direct response to the city itself. He is drawing inspiration from the city streets, the river and the old town and writing melodies for each of their atmospheres. It will culminate in a public performance in Gamlebyen.
Shirey will also explore the topic of feeling, “koselig“, which you can translate in English as cozy“ but it doesn't really have an equivalent meaning or carry the same weight. In a cold climate, where the days are short - family, friends and home must replace the lack of sun with something warm and nourishing. Shirey understands "koselig" as "the sun you make yourself".
There will be three pieces of music written around the concept of“koselig“ in Norwegian Winter.
The first composition will be played by the city bell tower.
The second one will be sung by a choral gauntlet in the old city. The Gauntlet is a choir you walk through. It is created by 2 lines of performers facing each other in pairs. Each pair sings a short phrase of music. Each member of the pair only sings one note of that phrase before the other takes the next note. The melodic line bounces back and forth across the aisle between the performers. The back and forth technique is known as "hocketing" and was an aspect of some medieval choral singing. The audience walks between the singers. Shirey is collaborating with first year acting students from Norwegian Theatre Academy on text and melodic ideas. We will also ask local choir members and volunteers to join us for this piece.
The third composition will be sung across the river between Isegran and Gamlebyen by 3 singers with megaphones on each side accompanied by two boats playing bell rhythms from the water.
All these three compositions will be linked by people with the bells walking from the city hall to Gamlebyen and so connecting all the music and places together in one experiece.
Tea and waffles will be served afterwards.
Sxip Shirey is band leader for a circus/dance production by Strut N Fret Production at Air BnB Open Spotlight in L.A. on Nov 17th.
https://www.evensi.us/airbnb-open-spotlight-los-angeles-california-stati-uniti/187113408
a mini-festival of music-theater
A three year long artistic research project by Øystein Elle culminates in an intriguing three night parade of concerts, theater, and sonic performances.
For the first time performing in Oslo: The American composer and performer Sxip Shirey will be doing one of his concert shows. He is known for his ecstatic melodis, unimaginable sounds and deep sexy beats, industrial Flutes, Bullhorn Harmonicas, Regurgitated Music Box, Triple Extended Pennywhistls, Miniature Hand Bell Choir, Obnoxiophone, Glass Bowls With Red Marbles, human beat box and a clutch of curious objects.
A night of absurdly beautiful sounds inspired by thoughts of Amelia Earhart and David Bowie.
Featuring:
A glass harmonica and glass armonica duet between Cinder Talk aka Jonny Rogers and Jake Schlaerth.
Todd Reynolds with his ever evolving digital fiddle which now includes a modular synth from the analog world
The beautiful songs and composition of Aaron Roche with string quartet.
Sxip Shirey will present a new composition “Amelia Earhart Found” whichfeatures morse code poetry snuck intopizzicato strings and the sound of his grandfather’s morse code key. This performance features Basil Twist with Stickman and the next evolution of “Latency” wtih dancer Coco Karol and violinist Rima Fand featuring a series of cell phones calling each other with speakers on to create latency loops.
