Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow

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Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow
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Concert of Yuval Avital & Mohsen Mohammadi
Yuval Avital – classical guitar& live electronics; Mohsen Mohammadi – setar
Cittadellarte Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella, Italy – December 14, 2010

Israel & Iran Sound Beyond Borders : Sari Gelim by Yuval Avital & Mohsen Mohammadi

“Mohsen and I know each other since 2007.
We enjoy a deep friendship and a mutual respect and dialogue through music. In the year 2010, we decided to perform together in Italy in a musical dialogue that contained both traditional music and innovation. We decided to conclude the concert with the traditional song “Sari Gelim”. It is a song which can be found in many versions all over West Central Asia; in many of its versions, it tells a sad story of love between a man and a woman that cannot be fulfilled because of difference of origin or faith between them.

In the recent years, I have met fantastic Iranians who shared with me the beauty of their culture and listened with great attention to the stories I told them about Israel and Judaism.
Sounds of violence, hatred and war can easily hide a sound of a guitar, a setar or a voice. Nonetheless, we as musicians stand in front of the news reports to share sounds beyond the borders of narrow perceptions of cultures and individuals.
Living in peace is not a choice of weakness but a choice of strength, disconnecting the endless chain of violence, predators and victims and creating a new chain of mutual respect and nourishment; of dialogue that extends our perception life and reality.

My love is not guaranteed to an individual thanks to his or her origins only but at the same time I don’t hate someone just because he or she was born on the other side of the fence. We dedicate this music, (accompanied with nested visuals in which I weaved Iran and Israel), to those who are not afraid to stop fearing each other, and choose to open their hearts and minds to whomever they were taught are enemies.”
Yuval Avital, 2010

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Massive Sonic Works:

/ˈmæsɪv ˈsɒnɪk wɜːrks/

Large-scale performances using collective participation to create powerful sound masses.

Yuval Avital’s “Massive Sonic Works” or “Opera di Massa Sonora” involves the creation of large-scale performances that utilize collective participation to craft a unique sound experience. These works focus on forming powerful sound masses through the collaboration of numerous performers, exploring new possibilities through sound rituals. The compositions often include graphic visual elements, written music, and easy-to-read instructions to allow interpretation by individuals without prior musical experience. This approach, sometimes involving hundreds of participants, aims to create what can be described as “crowd music.”

Some key works in Avital’s repertoire include:

– GARON (2012): An opera for 45 bass tubas do, percussions, and a crowd of performers.

– KARAGATAN (2013): A composition for 100 gongs and bamboo in the Philippines.

– REKA (2014): Commissioned by the Warsaw Autumn Festival and co-produced by the MiTo festival in Milan, involving traditional singers from unique cultures such as Tibetan, Zulu, Sardinian, Mongolian, and Samarkand traditions.

One of Avital’s significant compositions is MISE EN ABÎME, a milestone work that marks the beginning of his “Massive Sonic Works” series. Premiered in 2011, this composition involves a large ensemble of 100-200 non-musician vocalists, accordions, bass tubas, soprano, bass clarinet, percussions, didgeridoo, and conductors directing the performance in an immersive setup.

Another notable work is URLA, an immersive sonic experience with over 300 performers, showcasing diverse musical traditions in Matera, Italy. This piece combines traditional elements with modern instrumentation, theatrical actions, and innovative technological approaches, reflecting Yuval Avital’s interdisciplinary and transcultural artistic vision.

Yuval Avital’s creations blend complexity, cultural diversity, and technological innovation to create immersive and participatory sonic experiences that push the boundaries of traditional music composition and performance.