{"product_id":"4250317420725-the-levels","title":"The Levels","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhile Stefan's work has been established through years of written composing and arranging, his creative process is made up of different levels that includes his choice of diverse ensemble members; his inter-cultural activity; his collaborative practices through which he re-contextualises compositional developments; and his performance practice as a pianist in diverse settings. Through the coming together of these different levels of activity Stefan has developed a permeable, integrational composing process. This current version of the ensemble is both reduced and diverse. Stefan: \"The change in the ensemble's setup allows me to bring more freedom, to bring together all my practices. What I wanted with the ensemble is to have a pool of people who are connected to different aesthetics. I see the ensemble like a picture. It's symmetric. I imagine that I'm sitting in front of the piano with the lid removed - to my left side is the marimba, to my right a vibraphone, in front of the marimba is the guitar, on the other side is the bass. Then in front of that are the four horns in the middle - in the centre at the rear is the drumkit, with vocals down front. So, it really feels like a symmetrical picture, an extension of the instrument and as a composer I want to work with the different colours.\" The Levels was originally conceived during a stay in Japan (Goethe Institute 2017). He was introduced to musical ideas associated with the Komuso monk tradition - the meditational shakuhachi (the traditional flute originally played by Fluke Monks who wore a basket over the head while playing). He experienced the large group vocal Buddhist chant music Shomyo; the long form Noh musical drama; and was overwhelmed by the technological intensity of Tokyo's Akihabara district. These experiences fed new compositional thinking and while the tracks Ukiyo-e and Komuso make obvious connections to the experience of Japan, the influence also permeates at other levels of compositional thinking and playin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40344202379361,"sku":"4250317420725","price":10.8,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/products\/orig_10096476_jpg.jpg?v=1706799859","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/4250317420725-the-levels","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}