The finale of Noh Reimagined saw the premiere of OM – a live composition by Mariam Rezaei.
Mariam Rezaei created improvisations based on three Haikus by Matsuo Bashō and the Noh stories ‘Kantan‘ and ‘Kurozuka’, as chosen by Rezaei and Yukihiro Isso. Teaming up with electronic guitarist Adam Denton, Mariam remixed these short stories and stitched them together into a longer narrative. Noh performers and dancers improvised alongside Mariam and Adam, with the stories divided into five movements, each representing particular Noh pieces and Haiku. The experience was a fantastic combination of Noh theatre and pulsing, electronic music.
About Mariam Rezaei: Mariam Rezaei is a multi-award winning composer, turntablist and performer. She previously led experimental arts project TOPH and in 2022, received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation #AwardsForArtists for her composition with turntables. Rezaei is a senior lecturer in Music Composition and DJ Studies at Newcastle University, UK. Her music has been described as ‘genuinely ground-breaking’ (London Jazz News) and ‘high-velocity sonic surrealism’ (The Guardian). Boomkat describes her music as ‘harnessing extreme technical prowess – phenomenal stuff’. https://mariamrezaei.co.uk/
Adam Denton is a trans-disciplinary musician and cultural researcher with a background in exploratory guitar noise. He is a Director of The Old Police House, Gateshead, and has toured the UK and Europe extensively. Ongoing collaborative research and performance projects include The Audacious Art Experiment, Trans/Human and Mutual Process.
