13th Annual Music for People & Thingamajigs Festival September 23, 2010

The Music For People & Thingamajigs Festival is an annual event dedicated to promoting experimental music that incorporates made/found instruments and alternate tuning systems. Each year, MFP&T invites artists who design their own musical instruments to join in a festival of workshops, music making, and performances with the goal of reaching a large, diverse audience of all ages. It is also a festival where the public can participate in instrument building and tuning educational workshops, as well as hear unique sounds and compositions from up and coming artists. Now in its 13th year, Thingamajigs’ genre-crossing MFP&T Festival is the only annual event completely dedicated to music created with made/found materials and alternate tuning systems. Past participants include Karla Kihlstedt, Walter Kitundu, Pauline Oliveros, Brenda Hutchinson, William Winant, and Laetitia Sonami.

This year’s festival features music and world premiere performances from over 15 exciting artists and groups from the Bay Area and beyond. Noted works include a piece for multiple performers and two parrots by Mills College faculty Wendy Reid; “Music for Breathers” -a musical instrument that analyzes participants’ breath patterns designed by Conner Lacy; a hybrid guitar called “The Global Guitar” that can play Traditional Indian tunings by Matthew Montfort; and a modified instrument called “Photo Koto” created and performed by Gretchen Jude. Many of these artists will perform in the evening concerts as well as demonstrate their instruments at the family event at MOCHA. The family event will welcome some of Bay Area’s most interesting new music groups and artists for an exhibition of musical installations, performances, and instrument building workshops for kids. This event will take place outside in MOCHA’s beautiful courtyard as well as in their classrooms inside the museum.
With concerts, artist talks/demonstrations, and a free community outing, we expect the 13th Annual Music For People & Thingamajigs Festival to be our most far reaching and successful event to date.

Thursday, September 23rd 8pm: NOHspace, 2840 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 ($10-$15 sliding scale).
Friday, September 24th 8pm: Uptown Body & Fender, 401 26th Street, Oakland, CA ($10-$15 sliding scale).
Saturday, Sepember 25th 8pm: Vessel Gallery, 471 25th Street, Oakland, CA ($10-$15 sliding scale).
Sunday, September 26th 1-4pm: MOCHA, 538 Ninth Street, Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94607 (free with museum admission)

Official Website: http://www.thingamajigs.org