MUSARC Christmas concert 2009

MUSARC, the Choir at the Department of Architecture and Spatial Design, London Metropolitan University, and friends invite you to an evening of singing, clapping, carols and other noises, followed by food, drinks and more music in one of the city’s oldest and most beautiful churches.

Listen to selected recordings from this event

Installation: the Gas Organ

The audience will be able to play the Gas Organ before and after the concert.

The Gas Organ is a type of Pyrophone, from the Greek words for fire and sound. Sound is generated in an open-ended tube when the heat from a propane flame causes the air to heat up and vibrate, which sets up resonance in the tube. The pitch of the sound is determined by the length of the tube, with longer tubes producing lower frequency of vibration. Chaotic turbulence produced in the flame by air currents, and sound pressure waves add vibrato and beats to the already complex mix.

The propane torch used to provide the heat for the Organ is controlled by servos (small motors) which adjust the volume of gas in the flame, and also the ratio of the Gas/Air mix. The servos are in turn controlled by a random signal generator, which uses analogue microprocessors. Control can also be input using Radio Control transmitters, allowing the Gas Organ to be played by performers. Read more about Lou Smith, the inventor of the Gas Organ.

Performances by the ASD Choir

The Choir at the Department of Architecture and Spatial Design (ASD), LondonMet, will perform works by Orazio Vecchi, Orlando di Lasso, Gavin Bryars, Anton Bruckner as well as spirituals and traditional carols from the 15th century to the present. The audience will be able to single along to some well-known carols at the end of the concert.

Trio Tambourine

Trio Tambourine will be performing the first movement of Jean Martinon’s Sonatine 4, op.26 (ca. 1940) and Darius Milhaud’s Pastorale for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, 0p.147 (1935). Read more about Trio Tambourine here.

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Friday 11 December 2009, 7.00pm
St Bartholomew the Great
West Smithfield
London EC1

Doors and bar open 7.00pm
Concert 7.30pm
Doors close 10.30pm

Admission £5.00
Tickets available on the door
Includes a drink