Free thinking pianist Keith Tippett is to perform a rare UK date with Julie Tippetts on the opening night of the Public Domain Festival in Bournemouth on Friday.

Joined by two Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra players – Andy Baker on bass and Philippa Stevens on cello – they will improvise music to a series of films, ranging from Buster Keaton’s The Electric House, to 1980s work by celebrated digital pioneers Steina and Woody Vasulka, as well as live animation by Stephen Bell. Bell’s animation, utilising abstract computer-generated images, has been prepared especially for the performance, heightening the sense of spontaneity.

This is not an unknown area for Tippett, having already experimented in this field with improvised music to the groundbreaking release Body On Three Floors in the 80s. However, it is either as a soloist or in more recent years collaboration with Julie Tippetts for which he is best known, along with his influential 70s big band Centipede and the 80s quartet, Mujician.

Tippett’s performance will utilise “unprepared” piano, with wood blocks, chimes and music boxes put inside and used whenever the mood suits. This freedom is combined with Julie Tippetts’ vocal harmonising, as well as thumb instruments, recorder and poetry also being used to effect. The festival, runs until Sunday 18 July. Entry is free to all events.

– James Bourne

For more go to www.scansite.org/publicdomain