Electric Fields is a new work for two pianos and singer co-composed by Bryce Dessner and David Chalmin. The LA Phil commissioned piece performed at Walt Disney Hall on 15 November features pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, soprano Barbara Hannigan and David Chalmin on live electronics.
Inspired by the cosmic compositions and thoughts of medieval polymath Hildegard von Bingen and Baroque-era compositions of Barbara Strozzi and Francesca Caccini, Electric Fields offers an immersive multimedia concert experience, where otherworldly music is framed by live video, lighting projections that respond to the artists, and electronic effects.
Dessner and Chalmin’s goal when creating Electric Fields was to traverses the centuries taking inspiration from very ancient melodies, songs, and texts by exceptional composers of different eras and bring them to present-day through their own contemporary perspective and modern instrumentation.
The Creative Team
Barbara Hannigan, soprano
Katia and Marielle Labèque, pianos
Netia Jones, director & designer
Lightmap, projection design
David Chalmin, live electronics
Guillaume Loubère, sound engineer