Outer Sounds is concert series curated by Greg Davis at The Phoenix Gallery & Music Hall in Waterbury VT. Greg is an internationally recognized electronic musician from Burlington & owner of Autumn Records in Winooski. He has been curating & programming concerts for 20+ years. He will utilize his connections to bring cutting edge musicians to The Phoenix. The Outer Sounds concert series will explore the worlds & intersections of electronic, experimental, avant-garde, improvised, ambient, drone, minimalist, free jazz, modern composition, psychedelic music and more. All concerts are intended to be accessible and open to anyone, regardless of knowledge or experience. We hope the music will encourage discussion, inquiry & feedback. Come with open ears, minds & hearts and listen to the Outer Sounds.

Jessica Pavone String Ensemble

Founded in 2017, the J. Pavone String Ensemble, which consists of Aimee Niemann on violin, Abby Swidler on violin and viola, and Jessica Pavone on viola, presents original compositions that expand on the themes of Pavone’s extensive solo work for viola.

The music of the J. Pavone String Ensemble experiments with indeterminate techniques: alternating between metered and time-based scores, and improvisational and notated instructions. In this system, the players develop the skills of responding to a score and to each other, encouraging a model of connectivity within the group. During each performance, the musicians re-create the works together. A digital clock is often used as a conductor to mark sections, duration, and cues. The score includes time frames that direct musicians to move freely between sections, creating an overlap of sonic textures. The ensemble approach focuses on a vision of collective improvisation that prioritizes a collaboratively woven fabric, in contrast to the traditional improvisatory method that prizes the showmanship of the soloist.

Similarly, Pavone’s approach to composition expands the traditional purpose of music. Rather than just working with melody and harmony, she chooses ensemble sounds to provoke physical and cognitive effects on the audience. This reflects her interest in how the body plays a role in sound and intention. Thus, people–both players and listeners–play a huge role in the work’s development.

The group has performed at the Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival (Montreal), Bang on a Can Long Play Festival (NYC), Logan Center for the Arts (Chicago), Dartmouth New Music Festival (Hannover), the DiMenna Center for Classical Music (Manhattan), NYC Winter Jazzfest, Roulette and ISSUE Project Room (Brooklyn), Firehouse12 (New Haven), Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (Asheville), the Garner Arts Center (Garnerville, NY), and The Rotunda (Philadelphia). Four studio albums have been released to critical acclaim from The Wire, The New Yorker, Pitchfork, JazzTimes, and San Francisco Classical Voice. Brad Cohen of Jazz Times described her as "a free-thinker who can't be pigeonholed." In 2019, the string ensemble's debut album, Brick and Mortar, was hailed by the Chicago Reader's Peter Margasak as "the most assured, bracing work of Pavone's career." Astral Spirits Records released their second, Lost and Found, in 2020 to critical acclaim from publications such as; The Wire, The New Yorker, NYC Jazz Record, NPR, and Jazzwise. Bandcamp Daily named it a "Best Contemporary Albums of 2020". Chris Ingalls from Pop Matters described their music as "too stunning to lump into genres."

https://soundcloud.com/jpavonestringensemble

https://jpavonestringensemble.bandcamp.com

https://jessicapavone.com

Liew Niyomkarn

Liew Niyomkarn is a sound artist and musician with a background in experimental sound practice and performance. Her work primarily explores echoes and sustained sounds achieved through acoustic instruments and Supercollider, a coding language employed to craft various tuning systems. She integrates field recordings to capture the essence of time and everyday routines, immersing herself in the sounds of the wilderness, archival recordings, and the ambient music culture. These elements are amalgamated with her sonic palette and the intrinsic properties of sound, such as spatial characteristics, feedback loops, and the manipulation of extended decays and harmonics. She presents her work through live performances and sound installations in numerous places such as QO-2, Bozar, Cafe Oto, Rewire Festival, Sonic Acts, and many more. She holds an MFA in Sound Experimental Practice from Calarts. 

https://liewniyomkarn.com

https://liew.bandcamp.com