Festival American Musique / Ballet Mécanique

From April 17th through May 5th a festival will be held devoted to North American music
from the first half of the previous century.

Participating in this Maastricht festival are:
• Hogeschool Zuyd/section Conservatory
• Studium Generale / Maastricht University
• Music and Sound Workshop Stichting Intro/ In Situ.

Festival Ballet Mécanique

Friday April 26th — Sunday May 5th 2002

Festival of mechanical music / musical instruments

Place: former Artifort building , St. Annalaan - Maastricht

From April 26th through May 5th Maastricht will host the festival Ballet Mécanique.

This festival is devoted to mechanical instruments and American music from the first half of the 20th century. An exhibition, lectures and a dancing party will focus on (mechanical) music and mechanical musical instruments from the first half of the previous century.

Various important American composers of both classical and jazz music will be reviewed. Special homage will be paid to Colon Nancarow, the (eccentric) composer who died in 1997. Prof. Dr. J. Hocker (Germany), former president of the Gesellschaft für Selbstspielende Musikinstrumente e.V and Kasper Janse (Netherlands, head of the Pianola Museum Amsterdam) — both specialists par excellence — will make valuable contributions to this festival.

Highly recommended is the concert given by maître Pierre Charial, the French virtuoso on an barrel organ, and no doubt the live performance of George Antheil’s spectacular Ballet Mécanique will be the highlight of the festival.

The activities take largely place in the former show rooms of the Artifort building on St. Annalaan. The dancing party will be held against the background of the historical country tavern Casino Slavante (with reservation).

Pianola music can also be heard in Brand´s Bierhuis and Grandcafé de Tramhalte.

The opening of the Ballet Mécanique is set for Friday April 26th, 4.30 p.m. in the Artifort building.

Locations:
Artifort building, Annalaan (look for direction signs)
Casino Slavante, Slavante 1
Grandcafé de Tramhalte, Cannerplein 1
Brand's Bierhuis, Spoorweglaan 4 (opposite Central Station)

Friday April 26th Artifort building
4.30 p.m. Festive opening Festival Ballet Mécanique Brief pianola demonstration by Kasper Janse

Saturday April 27th through Sunday May 5th Artifort building
Daily 12.00 - 5.00 p.m. Exhibition
Historical outline of mechanical instruments from the first half of the 20th century, including instruments from the collection of the Pianola Museum Amsterdam, Bösendorfer concert pianola’s from Prof. Dr. J. Hocker’s collection, cylinder music boxes, symphonions and honky-tonk piano’s.
Photo exhibition with unique material on Conlon Nancarrow. Pianola scores can be followed with walkman. Continuous video's on the life and works of Nancarrow and mechanical piano’s.

Saturday April 27th through Sunday May 5th Grandcafé de Tramhalte and Brand's Bierhuis
various hours Pianola music

Saturday April 27th Artifort building
3.30 p.m. Concert by Harrie van de Voort Scott Joplin, Gershwin, Fats Waller a.o.

Sunday April 28th Artifort building
12.00 a.m. Coffee-time concert by Kasper Janse Dvorâk, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Rudolph Friml, Strawinsky, Antheil, Ernst Toch, Rakhmaninoff and others

Wednesday May 1st Artifort building (special students’ day)
3.00 p.m. Concert by Harrie van de Voort (for children) various composers of light and unusual music
8.15 p.m. Lecture/concert by Prof. Dr. J. Hocker "from classical to Nancarrow" — the history of the pianola

Thursday May 2nd Artifort building
7.00 p.m. Film about Nancarrow "Schneller als tausend Finger"
8.15 p.m. (next) Concert with live-recording by Prof. Dr. J. Hocker devoted to Nancarrow

Friday May 3rd Casino Slavante
9.00 p.m. Dancing party
From Belgium Mortier organ (1910) and dancing organ from the 1930’s. Dancing music such as foxtrot, jive, ragtime, rock ’n roll and jazz will be brought to life again. There will be dancing demonstrations and there will be ample opportunity for dancing.

Saturday May 4th Artifort building
8.15 p.m. Concert by maître Pierre Charial, the barrel organ virtuoso Mozart, Strawinsky, Ligeti. After the break swinging jazz music.

Sunday May 5th Artifort building
3.30 p.m. Closing concert by Prof. Dr. J. Hocker.
Highlight: a live performance of Ballet Mécanique (George Antheil) by Ensemble '88 conducted by René Gulikers. Ballet Mécanique was written for two pianolas, two grand pianos, twelve percussionists, sirens and Propeller (version 1926) This live performance in Maastricht offers a rare opportunity to experience this piece of music in the Netherlands!

Production & organization: Intro/ In Situ
Artistic concept: Paul Coenjaarts
Professional management: Ans Muijres
Secretariat: Lejo Nijsten
Sound engineer: Arno Op den Camp

Music and Sound Workshop Intro/ In Situ is a structurally state subsidized foundation, with grants from the Educational and Cultural ministry, the Province of Limburg and the City of Maastricht.

This festival has been made possible thanks to the financial support of: the City of Maastricht (project grant), KBS Accountants and VVV Maastricht (Tourist Office).

Special thanks to: Pianola Museum Amsterdam (Kasper Janse and Harrie van de Voort), Prof. Dr. J. Hocker, Daniel de Bie, Tonny Wilms (exhibition), Frans Mattaar (president Dutch Society of pianola's) and Guido Severijns.

The programme in full on the internet: www.stichtingintro.nl