Thomas R. Moore – This is my instrument

The Belgium based Nadar Ensemble is a new music ensemble specialized in performing curated and integrated concerts. In this case ‘integrated’ infers that all aspects of the concert are taken into consideration. Questioning, developing, and instrumentalizing video, light and sound design (including live electronics), costuming, decor, and even personnel such as a conductor and other roles typically inherent to an ensembles’ tradition, have become an integralpart of Nadar’s and other similar ensembles’ concert programming. In this talk I will specifically lay out manners in which the musicians of Nadar Ensemble approach what they have grown to see as their broadened-instruments, including the use of live-electronics, game-controllers and newly made instruments. I will also discuss ideas surrounding the so-called ‘attacca-concert’, gestural notation, and post-instrumental practice by delving into examples such as Nadar’s event “Dead Serious” (2014), the concert program “Extensions” (2015), and our recent premiere of Michael Beil’s scenic composition Hide to Show (2021).Furthermore, I will attempt to frame the various performance practices we have developed for this relatively new evolution.

Introduction to Nadar Ensemble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwRWNXuO2CM