Anna Minster music and scores

Some excerpts, some theory, some pdfs.

1st Rehearsal

A live-off-the-floor improv using 15 musicians, several mics, electric piano, synthesizer, guitar, bass, misc. percussion (x5), three violins, cello, recorder, and 2 wooden flutes. The players all were grouped around three mic positions and soloists would approach the mic when needed (which accounts for the subtle shuffling of feet and stage noise).

A conductor directed the flow of the musicians based on a loosely described score. The idea here was to explore the texture of soloists playing against different sections instead of having everyone play at the same time.

Featured soloists are electric piano, bass, guitar, and roto-toms. Sections were 5 percussionists (bells, pots and pans, cymbals, wobble board, washing machine, etc), three violins and cello, and three flutes (actually two wood flutes and recorder).

2nd Rehearsal

Another live-off-the-floor improv from the same session although this time only with the cello, violin, bass, drum kit and laptop running Reaktor. The strings are gathered around one stereo mic and the drum kit and keyboard amp (with Reaktor in it) around another.

As before, a conductor directed the flow of the musicians based on a loosely described score. This time we tried to contrast extended techniques on the strings with some drums and Vectory groove madness.

The violin and the drums each take small solos.

There was an interruption at the end that the mics picked up (along with the subsequent altercation!).

3rd Rehearsal

A live-off-the-floor improv using the same 15 musicians and same mics, but this time with only the electric piano, guitar, bass, three percussion (water bowls and roto-toms) and two drum kits . The players were grouped tightly and mic'd with a single stereo mic set-up.

There are two basic sections here; bass, drums, and guitar against electric piano, and three percussion.

Featured soloists are electric bass and guitar.

Be sure to check our website for even more material. Go to our Bandcamp page, to download the whole album.