The Sonic Circus began as an invitation to design a musical 'event' which would become part of the 1973 November Proms in Wellington. A festive Sunday afternoon (or evening) that would explore the knooks and crannies of the Wellington Town Hall. Variously permutated performances of Gabrieli antiphonal music, brass band music, dance music, music for solo instruments, sound environments, closed circuit television, helium filled balloons. But the scale was just too large, and time was too short and so the performance date was put forward to February or March. But the Town Hall was simply not available at any convenient time and it seemed as if the whole idea might have to be abandoned.

A New Venue? Why not the University? Politically the idea was sound; on the one hand it could provide a considerable and generous contribution from The Establishment to the Students' Orientation Week, and on the other hand it might bring onto campus many people who, for one reason or another, would never otherwise have ventured onto such hallowed ground.

Artisitically it offered new solutions to some basic problems, whereas before musics would have intruded upon (destroyed?) each other, here were numerous venues, all seperate and isolated acoustically, yet in close proximity, each with a different and individual character.

In choosing suitable works I was mindful of NZ music. Idea: Why not a Festival Exclusively of NZ Music? A showcase (vested interests). Too much concert music becomes expensive and too heavy. Concentrate rather on environments.

Idea: Six hours of continuous events simultaneously on eight different venues. With their timetable programmes the participants may select and structure their own programmes. It something bores then there are at least six alternatives....listen to music, watch a film, have a drink.

Jack Body

Venues....

Music & Environments

Opus One (Caf & Restaurant 6—7pm) are concerts of music written and performed by secondary school pupils. Scratch Orchestra is a group of four performers led by Philip Dadson who will perform NZ Scratch Orchestra compositions (i.e. music written for non-skilled performers). Caf.

Concert music in the Caf will comprise a work for solo cello, and a work for cello and tape (Lyell Cresswell), works for harp solo and harp and tape (John Rimmer), and a Trio for harp, viola and flute by Ross Harris. Music in the Restaurant from 7 p.m. on will comprise works using piano—piano solo, songs and chamber works using the piano....This Concert will be Recorded.

C.A.P. in the Hall is a progressive music-theatre work by three musicians led by John Cousins of Christchurch using tape-recorders and building materials. The exploration will continue over the six hours uninterrupted.

The Theatre performance will consist of the showing of films (NZBC and Film Unit) that have musical scores by NZ composers, interspersed by the performance of chamber works.

In the Law Library there will be a continuous cycle of two concerts of electronic music (Douglas Lilburn and NZ Composers)—two or three repetitions.

Synthesizer Music is an experiment by Ross Harris using microphones linked through a synthesizer system. Music Room.

The Dream Room is a music-sculpture environment, idea by Jack Body, sculpture by Ted Bulmore, music by Lockwood, Cousins and Body co-ordinated by Jeanne MacCaskell. Sculptures will cover the walls, ceiling and music will play continually.

The Resonance Room is a room of bells; idea by Jack Body, co-ordinated by Judith White with the students of Wellington Training College.