piece for solo saxophone and electronics, saxophone Demetrius Spaneas
performed live at the National University of Hong Kong.

history:

Alienation, a recurring motif in the works of Murakami, is the central theme in this novel set in metropolitan Tokyo over the course of one night. Main characters include Mari, a 19-year-old student, who is spending the night reading in a Denny's. There she meets Takahashi, a trombone-playing student who loves Curtis Fuller's "Five Spot After Dark" song on Blues-ette; Takahashi knows Mari's sister Eri and insists that the group of them have hung out before. Meanwhile, Eri is in a deep sleep.
Mari crosses ways with a retired female wrestler, now working as a manager in a love hotel (whom Takahashi knows and referred to Mari), a Chinese prostitute who has been beaten and stripped of everything in this same love hotel, and a sadistic computer expert. Parts of the story take place in a world between reality and dream.



Finding takahashi| Demetrius Spaneas (Saxophone) | HongKong | 2012

Born in 1974 in Nantes (France), Benoit Granier is a Professor, Composer, (ethno) Musicologist, Visual and sonic artist, Philosopher, and life long believer in collaborative works within the arts. After completing a Ph.D. in computer music and composition at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, he moved to Beijing, China, to teach at central conservatory of Music, and developped strong relationships between China and other countries, mainly in Europe and the USA.

In 2008, he founded in Beijing the Timi Modern Music Ensemble, a cultural encounter between western instruments and traditional Chinese instruments. Among the pieces premiered by the Timi were works by emerging composers such as Tony Deritis, John Mallia and his personal pieces.

One of Dr. Granier's particularity as a composer is to use traditional instruments in modern electro-acoustic music (Asian, Irish, Celtic instruments...). He is also renowned for composing for "controlled improvisation", offering wide possibilities to the performing musicians.

As a composer he was commissioned for large orchestras (Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra, Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra) and for solo instruments (Patrick de Ritis, Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Korean artist Gamin, flutist Orlando Cela, Les Temps Modernes in Lyon, Les Percussions de Strasbourg, Percussions Claviers de Lyon, American jazz musician Demetrius Spaneas...).

His pieces have been performed in prestigious places such as the China National Center for Performing arts, Beijing Modern Music Festival, Washington Smithsonian museum, Harvard University, New York's Carnegie Hall, the Performing Arts Center (Tokyo), Seoul National University, Espacio Cultural el tanque (Spain), Bourges International Electronic Music and Arts Festival, Strasbourg International Saxophone Festival Congress.

He taught in many recognized institutions such as The National University of Singapore, Peking University, and Beijing Film Academy, where he delivered courses in electronic music, orchestration, sound design, film music, acoustics and recording.

As a composer for a movie soundtrack, he was part of the second orchestration on major projects such as The Lord of the Rings: the fellowship of the ring and Kung Fu Panda 3.

He has also done extensive work for Mixed Media and pure electronics.

He is currently working on a new piece based on Dante's Divine Comedy, with with visual 3D creation and surround sound. This ambitious music piece will be performed by French ensemble Proxima Centauri. The piece will also feature a  brand new hyper-instrument. It will be touring Asia in Fall 2018, France and USA in 2019.

Finding takahashi| Demetrius Spaneas (Saxophone) | HongKong | 2012

benoit granier