Iannis Xenakis was one of the most influential and idiosyncratic musical and architectural thinkers of the twentieth century. He was also a political dissident, a radical music theorist, an inventor, a mathematician, and at times a philosophical mystic.
In anticipation of our upcoming Boston and Chicago Xenakis concerts with master percussionist Steven Schick, ICE has created this forum for all things Xenakis. Stay tuned for weekly updates curated by composers, musicians, and zealots from many fields, and a monthly podcast aimed at exploring in depth the life and work of this fascinating and complex figure.
Avant-rock performer Lou Reed, Berlin noise collective Einstürzende Neubauten, academic composer Brian Ferneyhough, Czech dissident novelist Milan Kundera, and Japanese architect Kenzo Tange all cite Xenakis as an influence on their ideas. Few composers have had such a powerful impact in so many different fields.
Over the next seven months, we invite you to join us in an exploration of Xenakis – his life, his music, his ideas, and his legacy. Visit often, post comments and suggest topics.
One Comment
I see that the group’s doing Ikhoor, Xenakis’ string trio–any thoughts on how Xenakis’ string writing influenced other composers in the twentieth century and beyond?