During the first concert of this year’s Musica Electronica Nova festival, we will meet the musical culture of Japan and listen to the electroacoustic composition of Nara Bertrand Dubedout, inspired by the tradition of this country.

Dubedout’s work consists of six movements with the following titles: Vigil at Sunset, Vigil of the Eleven Worshippers, Vigil for an Eleven Facetted Penance, Vigil for the Drawing of Water, Vigil of Fiery Austerity and Vigil at Sunrise. The artist began working on the series during his stay in Japan in 1999. He was fascinated by the Shuni-e ritual (also called Omizutori) from the Tōdai-ji temple in Nara. Built in the 8th century CE, this Buddhist centre is one of the largest in East Asia. Dubedout compared the ritual taking place there every March to space travel, and the experience of participating in it inspired him to create a new work. The composer recorded the sounds of the ceremony, which he later juxtaposed with the sound characteristic of Japan: gagaku, or ancient Japanese court music, the music of the Noh theatre, the shōmyō liturgical song from the Koyasan temple, as well as the sounds of ringing bells, fish market, crowds gathered in various places, street, public transport, and Japanese forests and mountains.