“Concerto for Midi and Grand Piano” by Steve Solum
Photo of Stephen Solum from stephensolum.com, accessed in 2024
Title:
- Concerto for Midi and Grand Piano
Artist(s) and People Involved:
Exhibiting Artist(s):
Symposium:
Artist Statement:
World Premiere, Composition by Stephen Solum
Susan Flaskerud, piano
Allegro Moderato Adagio
Allegro Audacia
Concerto for MIDl’d Grand Piano is a bridge between the traditional world of Western European concert music and the newer world of digital control and sound generation. Just as the modem piano design exploited mechanical technology in order to give a performer greatly enhanced conctrol and power over hammers striking strings, the MIDI Grand Piano exploits digital technology to extend that control much further, not only over tone colors, but over time, space, melodic direction and texture. Concerto is fully performed live; there are no recordings of computer sequences involved. The MIDI ensemble grow out of the piano over the three movements, the results of the pianist’s finger movements becoming everrnore complex and apparently independent, but remaining always physically caused by her. In this piece the computers are obedient, just as the piano hammers are. The composer and performer make and execute the musical decisions.
