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Event Description
Xenia Pestova Bennett and Franziska Schroeder are distinguished musicians known for their boundary-pushing collaborations and expertise in contemporary music.
Location: Harty Room, Music Building, Queens University Belfast
Xenia, a pianist, composer, and improviser, has gained international acclaim for her work across genres, from classical and experimental electronica to free improvisation. She has performed at renowned festivals and concert halls worldwide, commissioning numerous new works and recording acclaimed albums, including her own compositions and works by composers like John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen.
Franziska Schroeder, a Berlin-born saxophonist and improviser, is celebrated for her contributions to contemporary saxophone music. She has commissioned over 25 new works and collaborated with renowned artists such as Evan Parker and Pauline Oliveros. Her discography includes a praised trio recording with Brazilian improvisers Marcos Campello (guitar) and Renato Gody (drums).
Together, Xenia and Franziska have developed a unique collaboration that merges the ethereal sounds of the Magnetic Resonator Piano (MRP) with the expressive timbres of the saxophone. Originally designed by Andrew McPherson, the MRP is an innovative hybrid instrument which expands the capabilities of the concert grand piano, introducing an array of colourful techniques from bowed-like sounds to otherworldly textures. Xenia and Franziska create a sonic environment that challenges conventional boundaries between instruments. Their approach emphasises listening and responding to the natural resonances of both the MRP and saxophone, resulting in performances that are fluid, organic, and often surprising in their emotional depth and complexity.
ORION COURTNEY-LEE
An incredibly exciting and hugely talented guitarist and improviser, Orion Courtney-Lee is a member of Stratford Rise and QUB Ensemble, and regularly performs at weird and wonderful nights such as Handmade Music.