Cathy Berberian's revolutionary "New Vocality" went far beyond extended vocal techniques—she fundamentally reimagined the voice as a compositional force, dramatically extending both vocal techniques and the dramatic potential of singing whilst challenging traditional ideas about who gets to author a musical performance. Her pioneering work laid crucial groundwork for understanding voice not simply as an instrument, but as a political and social agent capable of reshaping our sonic landscape based on her belief that "the singer should become the composer of the live performance”.

What happens when we extend this principle beyond the concert hall into governance itself? Where Berberian liberated the voice from classical constraints to create new expressive possibilities, the Voice Party seeks to liberate political discourse from conventional structures—advocating for a society governed by the laws of pure sound and music, where every voice participates in the ongoing composition of collective life.

The exploration of Berberian's influence includes a small onstage exhibition of letters, photographs, and vinyl recordings from a personal Berberian archive, creating an intimate dialogue between her documented legacy and the living continuation of her revolutionary vocal vision.

More info on Cathy Berberian can be found at www.cathyberberian.com 

PERFORMERS:

Singers from Musarc

- Bilge Nur Ylmaz
- Elia Moretti - percussion
- Ben Smith - piano
- Tim Cape - voice and body
- Loré Lixenberg

PROGRAMME:

Programme includes pieces by Berberian, Acquaviva, Berio, Bussotti, Cage, including a performance of The Voice Party: 'The Parliament of Voices'.

With thanks to Cristina Berio