Andy launches new music project exploring ‘acoustic heritage’ (Spring 2010)

Unusual locations play a central role in Andy Garbi’s pioneering new work The Unsung Antiquarium that offers music and sound as a fresh approach to experiencing our heritage. Rather than using cathedrals, churches and concert halls Andy will be focusing on the unique sound qualities of non-dedicated acoustic spaces of our forgotten culture.

“There is a museum of sound all around us, hidden in plain view, whose voice has yet to be heard. Disused industrial sites, cold war architecture, sewers, decaying historical estates - we travel past or through or over them as if they were ghosts. This is The Unsung Antiquarium - spaces that although not purpose built for sound, still possess extraordinary acoustic qualities. This project is as much about the rediscovery of 'spirit of place' that has slipped from our conscious awareness, as it is about the particular acoustic qualities a space can offer. Some spaces have changed use, some will be altered, others due for demolition. As both Artwork and archive, The Unsung Antiquarium is my response to their latent potential. It offers fresh insight into the definition of heritage through the acoustics of our forgotten spaces and also through the retinal image of collective experience that is contained in the walls”.

Experience the project as it unfolds at theunsungantiquarium.com or google Acoustic Heritage Project. More to follow…

Andy Becomes An Endorsed Artist With Roland and Audio Ease (January 2010)

Andy's new project starting in 2010 has gained the support of electronic music giants Roland and specialist music software creators Audio Ease. Both companies have expressed interest in the music that will be created as their products will feature in both composition and performance. Roland have not heard of anyone working in this way with their equipment before. The project will break new ground on many levels.

New Project Gets Support From The National Trust (January 2010)

Starting this year Andy will be researching for what will amount to his biggest project to date. A series of site-specific works will be created and performed throughout the 5-7 years it will take to complete. Work in progress will be available in audio and video formats from a dedicated website which also serves as a performance arena as some of the selected venues will be either too remote or too dangerous for public access. In recognition of the project potential, The National Trust have contributed certain locations as some of the music sites for the project. More will be revealed soon…

Creative Residency Awarded At Banff Centre, Canada (Winter 2009)
Andy's voice and music has been recoginised by The Banff Centre for the Arts - an environment specially designed to facilitate innovative artists in the creation of new work. Situated in a breathtaking mountain landscape, temperatures are expected to fall below -30 which for someone like Andy is like Manna from heaven : "Banff is one of the few places on the planet where I'll have the chance to share ideas with some of the most cutting edge talent in the world from all creative disciplines as well as scientists, philosophers and leaders in politics and religion - it is quite simply, the opportunty of a lifetime". The music department faculty includes composer - John Adams, Continuum co-director - Joel Sachs and soprano - Suzie Leblanc. During his four-week stay, Andy will be experimenting with his voice in conjuntion with music technology.
The Sound Of One Review: Classic FM Magazine (May 2008)

Andy has just received an excellent four-star review in the May edition of Classic FM magazine. Here it is in full:

“An extraordinary album reminiscent of the music of Arvo Part, John Tavener and Henryk Gorecki, The Sound of One is the work of award-winning ambassador for British new music Andy Garbi.

Inspired by periods spent in extreme geographical locations such as Iceland and the Himalayas, Garbi an instrumentalist and vocalist, sings his own haunting laments in a distinctive high-pitched voice that spans almost four octaves, pausing only to let the darkly emotive and often experimental strings of cellist James Hesford take the reins.

From the piano soundworld of ‘Snow on Water’ and the plucked rhythms of ‘Mirrors’ to the captivating string accompaniment on ‘Rien’, played superbly by Hesford, The Sound of One is bleak, sometimes unsettling, but always impressive”

Classic FM magazine

The Sound Of One Review: Muso Magazine (April 30th 2008)

“vocals float over one another to conjure glacial imagery - Garbi creates an eerie collection of sounds – the kind of music that could aptly soundtrack a David Lynch or Darren Aronofsky film.”

Andy Featured On Premiere Irish Experimental Radio Programme (April 20th 2008)

Listen here for a play again of the wonderful Nova  show  presented by Bernard Clarke  on Lyric FM featuring Andy’s music.

 

Sound of One Review: Zillo Magazine April 2008

German glossy Goth magazine Zillo have given Andy’s album ‘The Sound of One’ a fantastic review. Here’s the English translation:

“Music can speak, can tell endless stories or can capture a mere instant of a small part of the world; it can display, create and destroy. This mainly instrumental work utilises its wonderfully delicate compositions, which are full of tenderness and impact, to melt each and every single note into a larger tale.

Each of the nine pieces instantly creates shimmering images in the inner eye of the listener, mostly of melancholic and dreamy spheres. Melodies turn into natural phenomena, into a foggy morning or a swelling ocean. Yet they are all pervaded by a glowing grace, a sublime beauty and dignity. The instrumentation and arrangements relate to the classical and they carry the aesthetics of expressive film music in them - moods arise without kitsch epics or thundering bombastics. Here, the musical force develops from calm, it flows from thesubtle-sounding details of its carrying compositions.

A little epiphany for everyone with an inclination to ambient neo-classical or atmospheric film music."

 

Andy Featured on Radio 3 Late Junction

Music from The Sound of One was played all week (Feb 26th-29th 2008) by Verity Sharp on the one and only Late Junction – gawd bless ‘er! Listen to extracts here.

Classic FM 21st Century Classics

Check out the Classic FM website and Lisa Duncombe’s show here. Andy is the first composer mentioned in an advert for the programme that showcases “the best of contemporary classical music”

Debut Neo-Classical Album Set For February 2008 Release

Online CD Release Date 4th Feb 2008 available from Amazon, Play etc.

The long-awaited debut neo-classical album The Sound of One is now available. Andy’s distinctive voice and music capture his impressions of extreme emotional and geographical situations. To listen to/download tracks from The Sound of One or buy the album click here

“This is a remarkable album…It moves with much deeply felt sensitivity and beauty: with echoes of Samuel Barber’s famous Adagio and Debussy‘s Des Pas sur la Neige plus Brian Eno’s old school ambient” Newmusicreviews.co.uk

“Superb music” Musician Magazine

“Inspirational…Garbi’s extraordinary multi-octave vocal range dazzles” Metro