Hazy Horizons is an organ installation and performance that reflects on architectural qualities of music, and explores musical characteristics of architecture through the pipe organ – an instrument intimately tied to its development.
The event focuses on the idea of the “organ installation” by the German composer Eva-Maria Houben, presented alongside Eva-Maria’s pieces written for the organ, piano, and other instruments. The live performance by the author is joined by Sasha Elina (flute, voice).
Over the course of a single evening, the event presents an exploration of a space through the sound of a pipe organ, crafted as an installation employing small weights placed on the keyboard. The work offers an intimate encounter with the organ, inviting the audience to experience it as an integral resonant architectural element of the church.
Eva-Maria explains: “The listeners may walk in the church, have a seat here and there, or leave the location (and return). They will find their ways of listening: in this particular room, with this particular organ, and its streams of sound, air, wind.”
The event is organised with the support of the Richard Thomas Foundation.
Date: 20th November 2023
Location: St James’ Church, Prebend Street, Islington N1 8PF
Linked publication: Eva-Maria Houben: On Space
Photos: Felix Charteris
Eva-Maria Houben is a composer, organist, pianist and musicologist, born and based in Germany. She is a member of the international group of composers Wandelweiser. Her scores have been published by Edition Wandelweiser since 2000, and CDs have been recorded and released through Another Timbre, Irritable Hedgehog and Makro labels. Eva-Maria has been writing and performing works for the organ for over 30 years. Her texts on subjects of contemporary music are widely published by Steiner, PFAU, Edition Howeg, bis-label Oldenburg, amongst others. Eva-Maria’s works have been performed at London Contemporary Music Festival, Cafe OTO, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (England), Issue Music Room, MATA Festival (New York), Counterflows Festival (Glasgow), amongst many others.
Sasha Elina is a curator and musician based in London. She is the founder and artistic director of the international project Music Space Architecture. As a vocalist and flautist, Sasha performs solo and in various collectives playing composed experimental and improvised music. She was the founding member of The Same Ensemble (2013-2023), performed with the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble (MCME), the Moscow Scratch Orchestra, Splitter Orchester, ГШ (Glintshake), and others. Sasha received her Music BA in Flute at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (2017), and Music MA by Research at the University of Huddersfield (2023), with her thesis exploring music curation as a site-oriented practice. Surname pronounced Yélina.
