About

"The music stopped and started, fumed and erupted, turned off at obscure angles like a reconstituted 1960's Holden fitted with two steering wheels in the hands of a couple of jackaroos. [Jon Rose, 2002]"

The music of Joanne Cannon and Stuart Favilla is both unique and bizarre in its approach. Their desire to improvise a new and original music together has developed an approach that considers all aspects of music making. "We both play conventional instruments, improvise and compose. We realized early on that we didn't just want to push conventional instruments into new areas. We wanted to use technology, in its own right, not to synthesize existing sounds but to play new sounds- yet unheard of. Carrying this approach over into live performance forced us to invent new instruments and this in turn put us in a completely new space within the Australian musical map. [Stuart F.]"

Joanne came out of the Orchestra because for a bassoonist to stay there is a slow and certain death. "Its pretty limiting for the bassoon in the Orchestra, you don't really get much of a chance to really play or see what the instrument is capable of. In Australia there is also a sour expectation that the instrument is there for the obligatory fart effect. Your virtuosity as a player is rarely tested rather your ability to conform and fit in with the personalities in your section is paramount. I still like orchestral music but in an artistic sense within Australia, I think it's currently comatose on life support. [Joanne C.]"

Stuart, on the other hand started off in the Jazz scene a bit. "Jazz is a fantastic tradition and a great vehicle for improvising. It is more a nostalgic thing for me though. I don't feel it is the right musical direction for Australians. Jazz is very dangerous, once you become immersed in the Jazz wash you can never seem to effectively rinse it out of your clothes, its not really colorfast music. Improvising in an electronic and abstract sound multiverse however, makes great sense to me. The frontier here is a large, unexplored and unfortunately quite often an irrelevant place to inhabit. [Stuart F.]"

They are interested in a complete approach to their music. This means creating the instruments, sounds, software and the techniques for playing the instruments. Their music is diverse; multi-layered, flowing, timbral, raucous, dense, multi-phonic, microtonal; the usual suspects for deranged fringe dwelling experimental pioneer musicians. They love performing to the delight of audiences in Australia and overseas and also are available for workshops and residencies. They have constructed a number of instruments including a serpentine leather electronic bassoon and Light Harp. The leather instruments pictured were made by; Tasmanian artist Garry Greenwood in collaboration with Joanne and Stuart. Other instruments have been made with the help of instrument maker David S. Brown and interface developer Robin Whittle.

Biographies

Joanne Cannon Instrumentalist and composer Joanne Cannon is one of Australia's leading bassoonists and experimental musicians. Winner of the Daffodil National Arts award for her composition for bassoon "Speak", Joanne's work is recognised for its combination of improvisation, experimental instruments and computer interaction. Joanne has also developed large scale works for dancers and musicians using lasers and sculpture. Joanne began her career as an Orchestral musician but felt the bassoon was limited by the Orchestral repertoire. She began to explore the bassoon through improvisation; extending its capabilities through the performance of microtones and multi-phonics. Joanne plays a variety of double-reed instruments including her amplified electronic Leather Bassoon; which she has constructed in collaboration with Tasmanian Leather instrument builder Gary Greenwood.

Stuart Favilla One of Australia's most innovative and creative musicians, Stuart Favilla specialises in synthesiser/computer music performance. He has been recognised internationally both for his talent and for the innovations he has contributed to this field. Stuart has toured with Joanne Cannon to Denmark and Hong Kong and has had recordings selected for release by the International Computer Music Association. Stuart works as a composer/producer and musical director for film, theatre and festivals and also as an educator lecturing at tertiary institutions around Australia. Stuart plays his renowned LightHarp which uses lasers and spotlights to trace virtual strings through space for performers to play.

[Photograph by Ross Bird]

[Bent Leather at Grainger Musuem]

[Laser Harp]