During Conflux Festival 2025, we played Piano / Forte as a performance, together with artists Jimi Hellinga, Myra Ida van der Veen, Wouter Mol and their vocal ensemble. We presented the commissioned performance re-imagining Piano / Forte as a powerful as a ritual. Accompanied by the sounds of the hurdy-gurdy and electronics, performed by multi-instrumentalist Hellinga and the heavenly voices of the ensemble led by Mol and van der Veen, the performance resulted in an unforgettable moment. Great thanks to all fantastic singers Eva Luna, Tara, Arie, Elizabete, Marilena, Aurélie, Myra and Wouter, the confidence of everybody involved and the freedom and trust from Conflux Festival.
Piano / Forte is a sound sculpture that explores the acoustic richness of the piano harp. In this performance, two pianos stripped of the keys and supporting parts, swing in the air like pendulums. The oscillating motion of the swinging pianos causes the strings to resonate, revealing the sonic body of the piano.
Inside the pianos, an accelerometer was installed to measure the variations in 3-axis positions, and translate the motion into sound frequencies via a custom made software. These frequencies are sent back into the pianos via electromagnets (transducers) attached to the harps. Instead of being hammered by keys, the sound is generated by vibrating directly on the piano’s body, adding to the multitude of resonances and reverberations.
Piano / Forte is a work by Mike Rijnierse and Rob Bothof