Revealing Resonance
‘If you want to take care of the soul of an instrument, you can’t just use it as an ornamental object… you have to let sound out of it.’
Among more than half a million objects in the Powerhouse Collection lies a host of unusual, strange and wonderful musical instruments – silent and dormant in its stores. In 2022, Powerhouse asked renowned percussionist Midori Takada to sound some of these instruments once again in a special improvisational performance. Breathing life into an intriguing ensemble of instruments such as the gong, xylophone and taiko drum, Takada crafted an intimate and powerful performance to camera – while sharing her intimate knowledge of the instruments and their histories.
My name is Midori Takada. Sometimes I play music, sometimes I perform theatre, sometimes I compose. Today, here at the Powerhouse, I played many precious instruments from the Collection in a special performance. It is a privilege and a unique experience.
Alemba
The Alemba is made by Moya Henderson, a female composer who I feel comes from a similar background in contemporary and experimental music. The first time I saw this Alemba, I felt that I understood what she wanted to do. Probably both of us at this time were thinking about what new, experimental things we could do. That's what I wanted to reproduce within me today. It’s a really nostalgic feeling with that experimental energy from that era.
