Musicians get ready to burn a piano!

Members of Bangor University’s school of Music will be joining New Zealand / USA sound artist Annea Lockwood in performance of 'Piano Burning' at The Old Goods Yard in Treborth, Bangor, on Saturday 29 June at 6.15pm as the launch to the new Bangor Sound City season.

In this rare opportunity to see Annea Lockwood perform her seminal 1968 work 'Piano Burning', the artist will be joined by lecturers Xenia Pestova and Ed Wright and Bangor MA student Sarah Westwood, who will play the piano before it is finally set alight and burnt, as well as during the burning. This will be followed by other performances by The Old Goods Yard Artists' Collective and their guests including spontaneous poetry by Martin Daws, the Young People’s Poet Laureate for Wales.

Lecturer Xenia Pestova said: “Annea Lockwood's work is very important for me because of my New Zealand heritage. I remember learning about "Piano Burning" during my undergraduate studies, so it is very exciting and special to be finally able to perform the piece - and in the presence of the composer. I am very curious to hear the sounds made by the wood and the strings as they burn.

“The performance will also be webcast live and projected into other locations at the same time as Annea's "Piano Garden" and "Eastern Exposure" in Llanrwst and Harwich. I also think of this (even though of course this is not the point!) as a "revenge" of sorts on the piano, after years and years of hard work at the keyboard!"

Iwan G. WIlliams of Bangor Sound City said: "Its fantastic to be bringing such an important and exciting sound artist as Annea Lockwood to North Wales and wonderful to be working with so many local artists too. The score for 'Piano Burning' says the pianists can continue playing even after the piano is lit, so it will be interesting to see how long they last before their fingers get too hot!"

Sounds from the event including the playing and burning of the piano will be recorded and available on www.bangorsoundcity.org. Refreshments will be available and entrance is free.

Publication date: 25 June 2013