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<channel><generator>iloblog 1.0</generator><title>Hélène Navasse- Blog Feed</title><link>http://blog.helenenavasse.com/</link><description></description><item><title>When contemporary music reaches out...</title><link>http://iloapp.helenenavasse.com/blog/blog?Home&amp;post=0</link><description><![CDATA[  Contemporary music captured me when I was only ten years old. It was a short piece for piccolo solo, entitled Nidi by Franco Donatoni that revealed for me a new world full of sparkling images. The energy, the vivacity and the humour of this music completely enchanted me. Pierre-Yves Artaud (who would later become my teacher) and his passionate interpretation of the piece, made such an impact on me that this summer concert of 1983 remains a turning point in my life. Contemporary music became my playground where I could grow up, develop and mature through both joyful and desperate experiences. Twenty years later, contemporary music still remains my ‘home’, that special area to which I like to return to feed my inspiration, to play like a child, to express myself and to share my vision with others.  The flute, with its richness of possibilities, has been man’s companion throughout the centuries, and still is found in wide variety all around the world. Fascinated by Sufi music, I was surprised to notice the similarities between ‘extra-European’ folk music and so-called contemporary music. Quartertones, hollow sounds, overtones, circular breathing, even singing into the flute, are techniques mastered centuries ago in other cultures. Those ancient traditions are known in the classical world as ‘contemporary techniques’. For me the idea of playing with these ancient ethnic techniques, integrating the knowledge of the traditions and the inspiration from different cultures is enormously exciting.   My intention is to remove the boundaries limiting classical flute playing, and take it to a realm where folk traditions and avant-garde meet. I believe, in this way, my music will be accessible to audiences of very different ages, backgrounds and cultures.  
 - Hélène Navasse  
 ]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:14:25 +0100</pubDate><category>new music</category></item></channel>
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