Yukie Lai U Kei, vice director of the Macao Percussion Association (MPA), and multimedia artist Kelvin Hoi (許賢威) told the Post in an exclusive interview last week that the association will present a show combining music and technological installations during the group’s 17th anniversary concert “HALO effect” on February 17.
Established in 2006, the Macao Percussion Association is the first local non-profit percussion society. Its primary goal is to provide musical training and performance opportunities to local percussionists. With over 70 members, the association has organised numerous master classes and performances, constantly striving to stimulate people’s inherent sense of rhythm, cultivate their interest in music, and elevate the level of local percussion music.
Lai, the artistic director of the show, noted that the idea for the performance was sparked by the concept of the Halo Effect, a cognitive bias in which our first impression of a person or thing shapes our subsequent judgments and evaluations. Lai gave the following example: “For instance, when we first meet someone and find them polite, we tend to assume they are polite all the time, influencing our perception of them.” Another conceptual idea was a fictional story she read recently about a planet near Earth where organisms observe and mimic humans, eventually developing societies similar to ours.
Based on these ideas, the concept of the show emerged, with a particular emphasis on the transformation of percussion sounds into visuals. In other words, Lai and Hoi aimed to breathe life into the visuals, allowing them to autonomously expand and interact, influenced by their own impressions of the sound. This kind of amusement is what they hope to discover in this performance. Lai highlighted the collaboration with Taiwanese artist Chang Hsin-Yu, who will be responsible for designing a variety of shapes. These shapes will be adjusted and modified based on the sounds generated by the percussionists. Hoi, assisting in the process, will contribute to the synchronisation and coordination between the visuals and the live percussion performance.
According to Hoi, the stage of Black Box II will feature different screens and lights placed around the percussion instruments. Hoi’s main responsibility is to design the animation and movement of shapes and images, considering both technical and aesthetic aspects. Challenges include managing input and output, programming behind the scenes, microphone settings, and ensuring that the flow of the animation aligns with the performance.
Lai agreed and added that the biggest challenge lies in integrating and sequencing the animations to create a cohesive story, especially given that they are working solely with shapes. For the upcoming performance, Lai selected pieces inspired by science fiction, nature, and the beginning and end of the world. The team is meticulously planning how to connect these themes to create a journey-like experience for the audience, similar to how the Halo Effect influences their thoughts and perceptions. However, rather than leaving the audience to form their own initial impression of the sound, their goal was to visualise the sound for them and assist in filling in the visuals. Hoi noted that despite this, there is still freedom for the audience to interpret the scenery they see and hopefully create a meaningful journey and story based on their own perceptions.
The performance is scheduled for next Saturday (February 17) at the Macau Cultural Centre (CCM) Black Box Theatre II, with two shows at 2:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. respectively. Ticket prices are set at 150 patacas. Full-time students and seniors over the age of 65 are eligible for a 50 percent discount. Additionally, purchasing 10 or more tickets in a single transaction entitles you to a 50 percent discount as well. Visit www.facebook.com/macaopercussion for more information.
Local multimedia artist Kelvin Hoi works on the upcoming concert. – Photos provided by Yukie Lai
Yukie Lai U Kei posing
Members of the Macao Percussion Association (MPA) perform its 16th anniversary concert in 2022.
