Nederlands

INTRODUCTION

To better convey Champ d'Action's increasingly complex structure and functioning to its partners and audience, the organization will divide the different aspects and projects into six large categories. Some projects can, however, not be branded with just one tag and are thus placed into multiple categories.

Champ d'Action = Productions

Champ d'Action creates a number of new productions on a yearly basis in which quality, creation, experiment, the use of electronics and visual elaboration are recurring elements. For Champ d'Action, contemporary music is not detached from events in other arts or society. This is why the ensemble brings musicians of different backgrounds together and why there are cross-overs with other organisations and artists from other arts disciplines.

The starting point is what occupies artists these days. This can result in a very academic to an extremely alternative approach, with every variation inbetween. The influences and impulses from technology, the non-classical music genres, the plastic arts or for example the internet form an essential part of what's happening in new music.The changing line-up and combinations that Champ d'Action musters, reflect the heterogenity of new music and are always in relation to the artistic singularity of the various productions.

Champ d'Action = Studio Champ d'Action

Studio Champ d’Action is the heart of the organisation. This breeding ground of artistic functioning is where Champ d’Action’s primary goals meet. The years of expertise of the ensemble on the area of technology and electronics –which is unique in Flanders- are fully utilized here.

This way Champ d’Action does not only meet the technical needs that many contemporary works require, but is also a platform where new creations might be brought to life. Composers and performers are invited to explore new possibilities, as well as further developing them. Additionally, Champ d’Action reworks technically difficult to perform pieces of the past with new technology.

Studio Champ d’Action owns an excellent 5.1 surround PA and the necessary hard- and software to control/run it. Champ d’Action closely follows technological evolutions. Finally, Studio Champ d’Action is host to a full-fledged and high quality recording system. In the years to come, Studio Champ d’Action will be further expanded in collaboration with arts campus deSingel. The studio is also open to other arts organizations, musicians, artists and ensembles.

Champ d’Action = Education

Champ d’Action created a number of educational projects, specifically targeted for kids, youth or students of art academies and amateurs. Within the art educational functioning of Champ d’Action, we distinguish two major branches, in which participation is the key word.

Projects in collaboration with young performers, amateurs and students.

Champ d’Action has already held several participation projects with youth, amateurs and students, such as ‘Hallucination City’ with 100 electrical guitars and Terry Riley’s ‘In C’. The latter will be performed once more in the honor of the opening of deSingel’s new buildings on the first of October by Champ d’Action, Serge Verstockt and a variety of other music ensembles and students.

For the third time in a row, Champ d’Action –in collaboration with deSingel and the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp- will present the large-scale participation project LAbORATORIUM in March 2011.

For this, Champ d’Action selected several internationally renowned composers and musicians, who will be holding workshops, rehearsals and lectures for the period of one week. These are open to young artists of all arts disciplines: music students of the conservatories, but also dance students or promising talents from the academies for plastic arts. LAbORATORIUM is a unique concept, in which young artists are confronted with students from other arts disciplines during their education, and are stimulated to learn from eachother.

Projects for kids and youth

Next to the projects with academy students, Champ d’Action also develops projects that are specifically targeted for younger audiences. There are, for example, installation projects, workshops for the use of electronics (i.e. for technical schools) and presentations by and for children.

Workshops and lecture-performances

Champ d’Action regurlary holds workshops that attract a large focus group of students, youth, technicians, musicians and other artists. Several workshops related to the project RE:NEW MUSIC (in collaboration with the Royal Conservatory of Brussles, arts campus deSingel and the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp) are scheduled during the 2010-2011 season. Champ d’Action invited international composers for the occasion, whose works -after a series of rehearsals- are to be performed in the presence of their respective composers.

Champ d’Action also organises workshops in Studio 3. These workshops vary from more technical subjects concerning working with electronics or programs such as Max MSP to workshops about performing or the specific instrumentation in contemporary music

Champ d’Action = Collaboration

Keeping in mind the multidisciplinary character of Champ d’Action, cross-overs with other artists and organisations one of the most important topics – today and in the future. It is therefore self-explanatory that Champ d’Action has a large amount of partners, both home and abroad.

The most important collaboration is with arts campus deSingel, where Champ d’Action is ensemble-in-residence. This offers all kinds of facilities for artistic, commercial, organisational and logistic purposes. Several collaboration projects with deSingel are scheduled for the coming season: ‘In C’ with the opening of the new buildings, in which Champ d’Action is responsible for coordination, a lecture-performance by Simon Steen Andersen, the Rzewski-project in collaboration with ZWERM, LAbORATORIUM and the installation project ‘STAY LOW’.

Champ d’Action has had a tight bond with the M HKA (Museum for contemporary Art Antwerp) for a considerable amount of time, which will surely be further fortified in the years to come. The spaces of a museum offer more versatile options than a regular concert hall.

In TIME CANVAS -with an ensuing edition on 25 September 2011-, the music is spread like an exhibition throughout the different rooms of the empty museum.

Important and artistically enriching for all parties is the structural collaboration with younger ensembles such as the electrical guitar quartet ZWERM and the free jazz Collective reFLEXible.

Champ d’Action works together with many festivals and concert organizers both home and abroad on a regular basis. Examples are the Concert Building of Bruges, the Music Building on the IJ, Transit Festival Leuven, Ars Musica, Kaaitheater, Bozar, Flanders Festival Ghent, Klarafestival and others.

Finally, Champ d’Action is also a partner of a number of international networks such as RE:NEW MUSIC (supported by European subsidies) – see www.renewmusic.org and ISCM – Flanders for the preparations of the World Music Days 2012 – see www.iscm-vlaanderen.be and www.worldmusicdays2012.be

Champ d'Action = Research

New music praxis demands research and the time and space to experiment. Hereto, Studio Champ d’Action in arts campus deSingel offers an exquisite environment. Composers, musicians and other artists find their ways to this studio to test new software applications and techniques, or to work with electronics. Artists commisioned by Champ d’Action, can address the studio to shape their ideas concerning the use of new media.

This panel implies a long-term collaboration between Champ d’Action and the artists.

Champ d'Action = Archive

Over the course of more than twenty years of activity, Champ d’Action has created many works by both Flemish and international composers. Next to this, Champ d’Action has also collected a very rich archive. In the past few years, the organisation has recorded every new production. These recordings are archived, documented and made available on the Champ d’Action’s website. Where possible, CD’s are recorded and placed into Champ d’Action’s ARCHIVE SERIES – the ensemble’s digital archive. These CD’s can be used for promotional purposes, and a limited supply is spread between the audience and organisers. The CD’s can also be ordered through Champ d’Action’s website, which will be further expanded with a wide selection of audio- and video footage in the coming season.