| Band Members | 
the Splinter orchestra members over the years:
Jim Denley, Dale Gorfinkel, Peter Farrar, Karen Booth, Lloyd Honeybrook, Clare Cooper, Clayton Thomas, Ian Petersie, Matt Ottignon, Inge Olmheim, Shannon O’Neill, Luke Callaghan, Emily Morandini, Benjamin Byrne, Alex Davies, Daniel Whiting, Joe Derrick, Simon Ferenci, Clayton Thomas, Mike Majkowski, Abel Cross, Milica Stefanovic, Michael Sheridan, Matt Earle, Adam Sussmann, Paul Taylor, Martin Ng, Peter Blamey, Robbie Avenaim, Alex Masso, Jon Rose, Hollis Taylor, Chris Abrahams, Monica Brooks, Ben Gerard, Chris Burke, Cameron Deyell, April Fonti, Tom Fielding, Gail Priest, Amanda Stewart and more (if you count the festival Love-ins)...
In late 2006 Splinter recorded at studio 301 in Sydney a new set of improvisations and procedural compositions, brilliantly recorded by Richard Belkner.
The band was:
Chris Abrahams - piano + hammond. Robbie Avenaim - percussion. Shannon O’Neill - synth. Milica Stefanovic - electric bass. Peter Farah - alto sax. Abel Cross - electric bass. Mike Majkowski - double bass. Gerard Crewdson - trombone. Dale Gorfinkel - vibraphone. Ben Byrne - laptop. Finn Ryan - percussion. Simon Ferenci - trumpet. Jim Denley - flutes and flax. Dan Whiting - laptop. Alex Masso - percussion. Karen Booth - alsto sax. Monika Brooks - accordian. Darren Moore - percussion. Rory Brown - double bass. Clayton Thomas - double bass. Cass McGlynn - tenor horn. Paul Taylor - percussion. Clare Cooper - guzheng. Mathew Ottingnon - clarinet and flute. Lloyd Honneybrook - alto sax. Ian Pieterse - baritone sax.
The CD is out through Split Records BUY IT HERE
Splinter Orchestra are one of the few large-scale improvisational ensembles working in Australia, or anywhere else for that matter. Formed in 2003, the group has comprised of up to 55 members - over the years probably as many as 100 musicians have at some stage been involved. Made up of individuals from the improvised music scene, electronic musicians, sound artists and those who are involved in field recording, the Splinter Orchestra create disciplined music, despite their large number – without any leaders or conductors.
Splinters for the recording were -
Over the years, Splinter has tried out many and various approaches, but it would be fair to say that the ’ecology’ of the group tended to be controlled by a preference for small sounds and a gradual, ’evolutionary’ pace of musical development - minimal individual contributions for a maximal result.
Some comentators were confused, and thought that because individuals were only making small contributions, then the music was a form of minimalism. But the whole was always immensely complex, both sonically and intentionally.
The ideal of free improvisation without a leader and within an ethos of quiet, respectful listening suggests an ethical interest in ecological balance between individuals - a quietistic ’live and let live’ philosophy?
In this new recording though, some of the methodologies take the group in a radical new direction - some pieces adopt a maximal individual input to create a more minimal, but monumental result. |
Online Now!
We'll play some hand picked songs from our debut album (that we're still in the process of recording).
...we're also filming the show so come be seen.
