On May 27, at Casa Llotja in Barcelona, Myriam Hidber Dickinson harmonized the poetry of her flute with the sound of the hybrid piano, beautifully played by Stefan Cassar.
Myriam Hidber Dickinson, from Switzerland, is an international concert flutist, instructor, event organiser and storyteller, and the founder of the Miss Flute project (www.missflute.ch). She defines herself as a music lover: "I started playing at a young age because it helped me breathe, but I didn't know then that it would become a lifelong love story that would resonate in everything I am and do." She is passionate about sharing her affection for the flute through teaching and organizing events. And when not performing, teaching, or working on a new story, she can be found walking in nature with her furry friend, Max.
About a year ago, Sergey contacted her on LinkedIn, asking if she knew of any pianists interested in playing a specially tuned piano. In the end, it was Myriam who came to Barcelona to give a concert accompanied by Stefan Cassar with the ACOUHYB with the Title: Els Camins de l’Amor. "Stefan Cassar and I were artists in residence in France a few years ago. Since then, we have given regular concerts together in Switzerland, France, and Bulgaria.”
Stefan and Myriam chose together the repertoire that would best suit the event: for this special piano, for the atmosphere and acoustics of the concert hall, for the audience in Barcelona, by the sea... They played Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Francis Poulenc, François Borne, Frederic Chopin, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, and Carl Reinecke.
In the words of Myriam: “I think that compositions with a wide spectrum of colors sounds especially good on the hybrid piano. In particular, romantic classical music.”
It was also necessary to see what kind of flute could fit with the ACOUHYB: "When I first heard the sound of the piano in a short video sequence, I knew that my metal flute would not fit too well with it, because of the different overtones. So I played the concert with a wooden flute (except for Syrinx, the solo piece by C. Debussy) which has similar nuances and a warmer sound. With this wooden flute, the sounds blend very well to all kinds of different tunings. Yes, from time to time I had to change the intonation or colour of individual notes while playing. However, this is what makes the performance exciting, as each tone takes on a life of its own and becomes even more full of light and shade. The pieces, like the iridescence of water in sunlight, came more alive for me. "
"What particularly strikes me about this piano tuning is the variety of colours. It reminds me especially of certain paintings and photographs. I imagine a concert in which the guests (of any age and also without or with artistic experiences) would paint during the concert or write a poem. The music could vary from Improvisation to Jazz to Classic… After the concert the paintings could be shown, poems could be read. Or a concert with a combination of recited poems and paintings in combination with the played music. This fascinating piano tuning stimulates the imagination and gives room for new forms of concerts.”
"I think the Acouhyb project can help people to listen again more attentively." Not only to perfect music creation, but also to the human side that music entices with its diverse facets and emotions. And this will only be possible if we stop perceiving music in black and white. Music can wash the dust from our souls, but this will only be a dream if there is not also room for ideas like Acouhyb's".
When I asked her what the sound of Acouhyb sparks in her, Myriam shared with me her close connection to nature and poetry. She showed me four photographs of aurora borealis, sunsets on the water, and faded shades of orange, yellow, blue, green... And the poem “Farbenspiel” (“Play of colors”) by Sophie Radtke:
Farbenspiel
Zeig´ mir deine Farben.
Versteck´ dich nicht vor dem Licht, das sie sichtbar macht,
nicht vor der Sonne, die sie verwandelt,
ins Spektrum ihrer Fantasie.
Irre nicht durch das Schwarz-Weiss deines Geistes,
die bleiche Natur deiner selbst.
Gib´den Tönen Bedeutung und lasse dich tragen
Von den Emotionen, die das Farbenspiel sanft aus dem Schlafe weckt.
Entflieh´in die Vergangenheit, zurück zur Freude, bunt wie ein Kind.
Mische und führe zusammen, was soll sich nie wieder zu trennen.
Erkenne jede Nuance, scheint sie noch so bedeutungslos.
Hoffe, leite und warne dich.
Male und schattiere, doch blende nicht.
Du bist der Zeichner deiner selbst.
Zeig´mir deine Farben,
Versteck´sie nicht.
Play of colours
Show me your colours.
Do not hide from the light that makes them visible,
not from the sun that transforms them
into the spectrum of your imagination.
Do not be misled by the black and white of your mind,
the pale nature of thine own.
Give meaning to the sounds and let yourself be carried
by the emotions that the play of colours gently awakens from sleep.
Escape to the past, back to joy, colourful as a child.
Mix and match what should never again separate.
Recognise every nuance, however insignificant it may seem.
Hope, guide and warn you.
Paint and shade, but do not blind.
You are the draughtsman of yourself.
Show me your colours,
Do not hide them.
Nadja Bas
