Interview with Mariam Rezaei, turntablist, improviser, composer, and teacher. Rezaei speaks fascinatingly about free juggling, needle dripping, old time turntable experiments from the early 20th century, Lukas Koenig, Elvin Branhi, D-styles, Rosco Mitchell, and more. Listen to Mariam discuss her music, her students, weird reactions from audiences, and a few technical insights on playing and composing with turntables.
Artist Bio
Mariam Rezaei is a multi-award winning composer, turntablist and performer. She previously led experimental arts project TOPH and in 2022, received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation #AwardsForArtists for her composition with turntables. Rezaei is a senior lecturer in Music Composition and DJ Studies at Newcastle University, UK. Her music has been described as ‘genuinely ground-breaking’ (London Jazz News) and ‘high-velocity sonic surrealism’ (The Guardian). Boomkat describes her music as ‘harnessing extreme technical prowess – phenomenal stuff’. See https://mariamrezaei.co.uk/ for more info.
Recent performances include:
Turntable Trio with Evicshen and Maria Chávez at Counterflows Festival 23, REWIRE 23 and DONAU 24 soloist and co-composer of ‘6 Scenes for Turntables and Orchestra’ with Matt Shlomowitz for ICTUS/Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, for the final concert at IM Darmstadt 2023, and with the Warsaw Philharmonic Autumn 24, Azadi/Freedom’ with London Sinfonietta at HCMF 2023; Tehran Contemporary Sound, Berlin; Another Sky, London; 6 Scenes for Turntables & Orchestra with Brussels Philharmonic/ICTUS Ensemble, Brussels, Antwerp & Glasgow; GIOFest 2023, Glasgow; Taipei Biennial 2023, Taiwan. Roskilde 2024, Out.Fest 2024 and with band ‘The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters’ at Berlin Jazz Fest 24 and REWIRE 24.
Recent collaborations include Joan La Barbara, Edward George, Evicshen, Valentina Magaletti, Okkyung Lee, Maria Chavez, Maggie Nicols, Black Top (Pat Thomas & Orphy Robinson), Lasse Marhaug, Rhodri Davies, dj sniff, Angharad Davies, Sharon Gal, Mette Rasmussen, DJ Rex Chen, Audrey Chen, Elaine Mitchener, Lukas Koenig, SlowPitchSound, Julien Deprez, Kenosist, Gwilly Edmondez, Petronn Sphene and Elvin Brandhi.