Text by CLOT Magazine
Renowned worldwide, Portugal’s avant-garde Semibreve Festival returns for its 9th iteration to Braga on October 25 to 27, 2019. Celebrating all things contemporary art, it has continuously showcased innovative multidisciplinary work by some of today’s most distinguished creatives. Heavily emphasizing electronic music, Siembreve brings together both emerging and established artists, musicians, composers, and DJs. This year the programme will also include new work in the digital art sphere created by Portuguese university students and local artists.
The festival is excited to present for the first time Morton Subotnick, the legendary electronic music composer famed for his 1967 arrangement Silver Apples of the Moon, the first electronic piece commissioned by a record label, a pioneer in electronic music. He’s pushed many of the technological breakthroughs in the genre’s history. A further highlight of the lineup is the five-time Grammy-nominated composer Suzanne Ciani, who has, throughout her 40-year career, tested the limits of the synths and created pieces for such big names as Coca-Cola and Atari.
Other performances include audiovisual shows by Drew McDowall and Florence To, sonic sculptures and poetry by Felicia Atkinson, Kode9, Ipek Gorgun, and experimental electronic musicians Oren Ambarchi and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe. The program will also feature talks by filmmaker Miguel Tavares and Scanner, a workshop about conceptualizing in 3D by Drew McDowall and Florence To, as well as the Edigma Semibreve Festival Award, which aims to encourage and support artists producing interactive visual and audio work that utilize of digital technology.
Semibreve’s focus on creating a well-rounded programme, its thoroughly selected gorgeous venues, and a spirit based on inclusivity and accessibility has resulted in commercial success with sell-out performances and critical success and support from The Guardian, Independent, DAZED, and more.
