Study Day with Roberto Dani

The purpose of this study day is to discuss and enquire into new ways in which music performers can relate to the already known - specifically, musical works and notation. Percussionist Roberto Dani will present his method of working with improvisation utilising models drawn not only from musical structures, but also from observations in everyday life and in human interactions, thus mobilising the relationship between notation, improvisation and extemporisation.

This will be linked to a reflection on a possible new role of notated scores: can we extract from them improvisational models that differ from instructions linked to a solely musical code?

This Study Day will include an open improvisation workshop and a concert.

Roberto Dani

Since the beginning of his carieer, Roberto Dani pursued a very particular musical research on the drumset; Most of his work is based on improvisation and the borders between improvised and written music. In particular, in his Solo performances he investigates the relationships between sound/body/space. He focused mostly on interdisciplinary relationship with other artistic languages and performed with dancers as in “Mobiles”. In the contemporary opera “Il Sogno di una cosa” as a percussionist/performer, commissioned to composer Mauro Montalbetti and Ensemble Sentieri Selvaggi conducted by Carlo Boccadoro. In contemporary theatre shows like “Luce Nera” and “Non ricominciamo la guerra di Troia” (for six drums ensemble and actress Patricia Zanco), Stefano Benni’s “Baldanders”, “Oscillazioni” by Vitaliano Trevisan and composed original music for some of Trevisan’s theatre works such as Quattro Stanze con bagno and Solo RH. Recently, together with Paolo Fresu and others, he took part of the soundtrack recording of last Ermanno Olmi’s movie masterpiece “Torneranno i prati” dedicated to World War I. He also recorded ballet music for Teatro La Scala commissioned to composer Carlo Boccadoro.

After the early debut with progressive band “Devil Doll” which reached a high recognition all over, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston for a while and began an intense concert activity in the main festivals and theatre programs in Europe, America and Japan. During his career he played with Annette Peacock, Louis Sclavis, Kenny Wheeler, Tim Berne, Dave Liebman, Paul McCandless, Norma Winstone, Michel Godard, Al Di Meola, Mick Goodrick, Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Drew Gress, Ben Monder, Erik Friedlander, Christy Doran, Hal Crook, Michele Tadini, Giorgio Gaslini, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, Gianluigi Trovesi, Roberto Fabbriciani, Enea Salmeggia Chamber Orchestra and many others. Nowdays he regulary performs/records with Stefano Battaglia Trio with whom he recorded three cds for well known label ECM, with Russian accordionist/singer Evelina Petrova, Roberto Bonati Trio, with artist Gianandrea Gazzola and his water drops installation”Nomos II”, Samo Salamon band.

He runs an intense activity as a teacher (Forme Sonore interdisciplinary workshop) and the leadership of few instrumental ensembles whose works are focused on contemporary graph notation.

His discography includes more than 70 cds.

Schedule

Day 1

Location: Orpheus Instituut (Auditorium)

15:00 – 16:00 Lucia D’Errico, Introduction and presentation

16.00 – 17.00 Roberto Dani

17.00 – 17.30 Coffee Break

17.30 – 18.30 Discussion

Day 2

Location: Orpheus Instituut (Red room)

09.30 – 13.00 Workshop Roberto Dani and Lucia D’Errico (Closed session) Location: Gent Conservatoire

14.30 - … Workshop with students Location: TBD

20.00    Concert