In the second presentation of the Contraponto Cycle, we bring British-Iranian composer Shiva Feshareki together with the students of the University of Minho's Music degree for the Portuguese premiere of the author's new work, Transfigure. In this concert, Shiva's turntables and electronics resonate with the harp, clarinet, double bass and soprano voice of the university students, in a live demonstration that summons the acoustics and specific energies of the Theatro Circo. Here, too, the room becomes a musical instrument, especially when a custom-made spatialized sound system is installed. 

In Shiva's words, 'Transfigure encompasses different journeys happening at the same time, expanding and colliding in ways we can't predict. I was really fascinated by the feeling I get when I perform with turntables - it's almost a trance-like state, a therapy session or hypnosis - and I wanted to translate that into the acoustic elements of the composition, finding processes to help the performers achieve this state'. 

Contraponto is a cycle dedicated to 20th and 21st century composition. Over the course of six annual sessions, we invite local, national and international ensembles and composers to guide us through the music of one of the most fertile periods in terms of new ideas and forms.

Turntables/Electronics Ambisonic live/Composer Shiva Feshareki 
Musicians: harp, soprano, double bass and clarinet by students from the University of Minho's music degree program 
 

Voice Daniela Baptista/UM
Clarinet Jael Cohen/UM
Double bass Luana Fonseca/UM
Harp Catarina Araújo (UM student extra)

Duration 45'