Join us as we launch our second release of 2022, Taking a nap, I pound the Rice, featuring Fred Thomas’s work for prepared piano, string quartet, percussion, and spoken word. Written for us in 2016, it features Thomas on prepared piano, Maurizio Ravalico on improvised percussion, and renowned American Soprano Jill Feldman as narrator alongside the Phaedra String quartet. Fred Thomas is a prolific, genre-crossing multi-instrumentalist and composer, as fluent in improvisation as he is performing Bach’s organ music. Taking a nap, I pound the rice fuses his musical identities with luminous string quartet writing and text.

We’ll also be joined by our old friend and Phaedra collaborator The Magic Lantern AKA Jamie Doe, who sings in our ambient rendition of Frederic Rzewski’s Attica, the often overlooked second half of his iconic work Coming together, recorded in live improvised takes for the EP.

Join us in the beautiful acoustics of St. James’ Church, Islington where we’ll bring together all these performers, with an evening interspersing solo performances, as well as joining forces as an ensemble throughout the night.

The Magic Lantern (Solo acoustic set)

Movement K - Fred Thomas (string quartet)

Maurizio Ravalico (Improvised solo Percussion set)

Taking a nap, I pound the rice - Fred Thomas

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Fred Thomas (Solo piano set)

Punctum - Caroline Shaw (string quartet)

Attica - Fred Rzewski

Doors 7pm

Show 7:30pm

Nearest Train Station: Essex Road

Nearest tube: Angel