MONOCHROMATIC

Phoenix has collected three of the most remarkable pianos on the planet, and in MONOCHROMATIC visionary artists will impart unique performances upon each - their dexterous fingers probing the infinite shades between the colour of ivory and the colour of night.  

As the first of Phoenix's Instrument Series, MONOCHROMATIC will delve into the unexpected. Pianists from the classical, jazz, and experimental spheres will explore bold performances of contemporary works and reinvigorated classics.

‘Tiny Dances’
by Sally Whitwell

Q:

What emotions does ‘Tiny Dances’ arouse in you?

A:

It's been a very long year for us [in the arts] and I felt my creativity was starting to drop and I didn't want it to happen. I couldn't handle it. I set myself an exercise like a teenager and did homework every day. Some of pieces were written during lockdown and some were written a bit after. I always wanted to tap dance, so I decided to include a piece that treated it like a musical instrument.

Q:

Describe ‘Tiny Dances’ in colour.

A:

My piece really is a multitude of colors! It's a rainbow!

Q:

How was your performance experience at Phoenix?

A:

The Phoenix is like a sculpture and everything about this experience was sculptural. You walk into the space and it's not the shape of a box that all of the buildings around it are just more boxes. We have a lot of boxes in Sydney, especially in this part of Sydney, so to come into this thing that looks like it just grew there naturally, instead of being built and then to play this piano, which is also, the Poul Henningsen piano, it's like a sculpture. I'm inside a sculpture and I'm playing a sculpture. And the whole thing just felt like all these incredible shapes and colors. And that's so rare, a concert hall is one thing, but this is way above and beyond the concert hall experience. I just think every musician should have this opportunity. We should all be so lucky to come here to Phoenix.