weird aftertaste will be performing in their housewarming concert “WEIRD AFTERSPACE” at the Aliwal Arts Centre on Saturday 2nd November, 8pm.
Contemporary music is something very close to my heart. It lets me experience sound in ways I never thought were possible, and shows me new ways of thinking about music. I had never even considered being a musician, not until I discovered the immense variety that the 20th century of classical music had to offer. Over time, I was more and more convinced to pursue composition. I desperately wanted to express myself in the same ways my favourite composers did, using their unique experiences and techniques to write amazingly diverse music. It would mean that I had a place in the music community, since I could offer my own perspectives and approaches to sound. Working with melody and harmony was cool, but I wanted to get even closer into the sound itself.
Soon, I came across a contemporary ensemble called weird aftertaste. They’re experienced with the contemporary repertoire and are technically proficient at their instruments. Individually, they have strong reputations as educators, performers, and artists. Last year, I got to witness their collaborative output where they somehow pulled off logistically demanding pieces like György Ligeti’s Poème symphonique for 100 metronomes and Michael Pisaro-Liu’s Ricefall. How often do you get to experience the wash of a hundred ticking metronomes, or specks of falling grain explode into a roaring downpour?
While the upcoming concert won’t feature a hundred of anything (I think), it promises many unique experiences. We’ll immerse ourselves in Zi Tao Chua’s multimedia Scapes, where sounds trigger visual effects; an arrangement (by Bertram Wee) of eyeswhichneversmile by Joey Tan, originally for barrel organ (“a boring old barrel organ with a monkey” as she describes it); and electronic distortions of vocal noise and pitch in displeasures of the flesh by Bertram Wee, among others.
You might notice in the programme that all the pieces are from homegrown Singaporean composers. weird aftertaste is a strong supporter of local composers, giving us a platform to express ourselves authentically. Though they also perform pieces from outside of Singapore, their commitment to the local community provides a much-needed representation for this often overlooked field.
Their intimate concert venues also encourage conversation, which usually happens after each weird aftertaste concert. These are my favourite moments in their concert experience, where I get to exchange ideas, share experiences, and sometimes “disturb” the performers for a glimpse at the score. Their concerts break down formality between audience and performers, making for a more complete and engaging experience. Here, I don’t “clap hands and go home”—I leave with a sense of belonging in a community that I have a place in.
I listen to weird aftertaste because it’s fun, exciting, and vastly different to everyone else. They are advocates for some of the wildest things in concert music, and have built a community of enthusiastic musicians that I excitedly look forward to meeting every concert. They have made a complex and sometimes unapproachable musical idiom into an inviting concert experience. An experience that leaves people bewildered, curious, and awaiting the next one. Don’t say bojio.
Joel Tan
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