Joe Bates Newsletter: February

This MonthThis month is the build-up to an important concert for me: the performance of my piece Paroles Gelées at the Wigmore Hall, 22nd February at 1pm. Tickets here. I will also be operating the electronics for Alex Tay’s virtuosic money & yes, a stunning piece of twining lines and manic intensity. 

Alex writes:
The piece is loosely inspired by the life and death of the American billionaire, ex-CEO of Zappos, venture capitalist and author of Delivering Happiness, Tony Hsieh; who had Taiwanese heritage, which I only mention because I probably wouldn’t have taken much notice of his story if he and I didn’t have this commonality. He died in a fire and it’s not clear whether he intended to take his own life or not. His life ended at a point where he was trying to bio-hack sleep and believed he was turning into a crystal. Nitrous Oxide became a crutch. He was surrounded by entourages of followers who were paid to “make him happy”. To me, he takes on significance as an anti-buddha, someone who wanted to do good but also felt the need for validation like a drug and found it in the form of money, so this piece is called money & yes.

​There are also premiers of pieces by two composers I great admire: Cassie Kinoshi and Linda Catlin Smith. Please do join us!