Christian Streit Smith is in residency at Studio Loos from November 25th-30th, working on new pieces of experimental music by Santiago Díez Fischer and Hilde Wollenstein for percussion and electronics. In addition he is researching different ways to amplify 'objects' & 'percussion' through lo-fi (and 'hi-fi') methods, as well as the societal and cultural contexts of these technologies. The questions are, what are the benefits/drawbacks to subscribing to one method or the other? And how do we define what is a positive vs. a negative outcome? Finally, is lo-fi an adequate description for the work we are doing, or is it perhaps the 'highest fidelity'?
Wollenstein is assisting him in the research method exploring these topics, drawing from her background as a performer and a composer of sample based live music.
program:
8pm short talk from Christian
830pm performances :
'under the redwood tree my grave was laid' by Santiago Díez Fischer *premiere
for solo amplified bowed spatula & ruler + voice & electronics
'high, higher, highest fidelity' by Hilde Wollenstein in collaboration with Christian *premiere
for objects, samples, and text
The event is free of charge!
bios:
Christian Streit Smith (b. 1990, USA) is a percussionist residing in The Hague. Before moving here in 2016 he received masters degrees from the Basel Hochschule für Musik and McGill University, and the bachelor's from Oberlin Conservatory. In addition to his work as a musician he works full time in garden construction. His interests are myriad and undefined, but he cares about people and music. For this project he hopes to understand more about his instrument and sound production.
Hilde Wollenstein (free version), born 1997 in Culemborg, Netherlands, lives in The Hague and Berlin. 2015-18 she studied classical clarinet at the Conservatory in Utrecht. Since 2018 she studied Sonology at the Royal Conservatory, The Hague, completing the bachelors in 2022, currently following the masters programme. She has been working for Cashmere Radio in Berlin since 2023, and other places that facilitate (experimental) music too.
My self-released album ‘right hand - left hand’ is an archive of material made in 2023, used in the one-hour long radio piece ‘original material played at cashmere radio, berlin’ and performances that followed. In 2024 I started to involve poetry and my voice too. This can be heard in the release 'don't give up', which contains five pieces cut from a live performance and speaks of a world with borders and lack of space to dream. I prefer to work in a diverse bundle of places, and to have a perfect focus, not a perfect product. My intention to work and commitment to the work should be clear, also when the will is groundless. At the moment, I am specifically interested in music and performance art that is subversive, and wants to short-circuit states of control.