About the Talk:
The pipe organ, invented well more than 2,000 years ago, was once regarded as one of the world’s most advanced technological innovations. This presentation explores the relatively recent intersection of the organ with electronic music, offering an overview of the instrument’s technical and artistic capabilities, as well as its adaptability to a wide array of styles. Examples of works for organ and electronics will be introduced, alongside an introduction to extended techniques associated with the hyper organ movement. The talk also addresses practical strategies for collaboration, including approaches to working with organists and exploring the instrument’s potential firsthand. By situating the pipe organ within the context of modern electronic music and innovation, this presentation highlights its vast potential for integrating acoustic and electronic sound.
About the Speaker:
Alexander Meszler is an interdisciplinary organist whose performances and research aim to inspire new perspectives on the pipe organ and its capabilities. His performances blend music from across the organ’s history, combining vastly different musical styles with improvisation and electronics to address social issues and ideas. His research explores current challenges facing the organ, with a particular focus on secularism and secularization. As Director of the Committee on New Music for the American Guild of Organists, the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to the pipe organ, he is heavily engaged in fostering new works for the instrument. Additionally, he serves as Vice President of Epsilon Spires, a non-profit organization focused on the arts and sustainability in Vermont. Meszler holds a DMA from Arizona State University and is currently College Organist and Assistant Professor at Luther College in Iowa, United States.
Details:
Date: Monday, 20 January 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. (Macao)
Location: Media Lab (USJ605), USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Organised by: Faculty of Arts and Humanities
*Free event, open to the general public
