Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival Review: A Haunting Experience with Ghostly Echoes and Fearless Voices
The HCMF festival in November was a fittingly eerie experience, given the thick cloud cover and chilly temperatures that accompanied my arrival. Yet, it's no surprise that music has long been an indoor pursuit here, since autumn has been synonymous with big-name avant-garde acts since 1978.
The opening night at Huddersfield Town Hall was a masterclass in precision and atmosphere. Explore Ensemble's performance of Lithuanian composer Rytis Mažulis' Canon Mensurabilis was a marvel of acoustic-electronic interplay, blurring the lines between sound and technology. Meanwhile, Bryn Harrison's The Spectre... Is Always Already a Figure of That Which is to Come conjured up a sense of haunting unease, with ghostly echoes and subtle textures that drew the audience in.
The festival also showcased a new version of Arvo Pärt's Sarah Was Ninety Years Old, performed by the Carice Singers. This 90-year-old composer may not be considered avant-garde, but his music is certainly daring. The performance was a welcome reminder of Pärt's innovative spirit, particularly in its use of silence and restraint.
However, not all performances were as compelling. The late-night concert featuring Dedalus Ensemble's UK premiere of Sarah Hennies' Motor Tapes was a jarring experience, with the addition of milk frothers creating an ear-piercing din that left several audience members nodding off. While this may have been intentional, it felt like a misguided attempt at innovation.
The festival also featured the Aletheia performance by the UK's leading choir, which showcased Žibuoklė Martinaitytė's stunning work for four pitches and three voices. The performance was a testament to the choir's fine-grained blend and control, and served as a reminder of what's possible in contemporary music.
In conclusion, HCMF is a festival that consistently pushes the boundaries of new music, often with remarkable results. While not every performance is a success, the overall experience remains one of the most compelling and haunting experiences of its kind.
The HCMF festival in November was a fittingly eerie experience, given the thick cloud cover and chilly temperatures that accompanied my arrival. Yet, it's no surprise that music has long been an indoor pursuit here, since autumn has been synonymous with big-name avant-garde acts since 1978.
The opening night at Huddersfield Town Hall was a masterclass in precision and atmosphere. Explore Ensemble's performance of Lithuanian composer Rytis Mažulis' Canon Mensurabilis was a marvel of acoustic-electronic interplay, blurring the lines between sound and technology. Meanwhile, Bryn Harrison's The Spectre... Is Always Already a Figure of That Which is to Come conjured up a sense of haunting unease, with ghostly echoes and subtle textures that drew the audience in.
The festival also showcased a new version of Arvo Pärt's Sarah Was Ninety Years Old, performed by the Carice Singers. This 90-year-old composer may not be considered avant-garde, but his music is certainly daring. The performance was a welcome reminder of Pärt's innovative spirit, particularly in its use of silence and restraint.
However, not all performances were as compelling. The late-night concert featuring Dedalus Ensemble's UK premiere of Sarah Hennies' Motor Tapes was a jarring experience, with the addition of milk frothers creating an ear-piercing din that left several audience members nodding off. While this may have been intentional, it felt like a misguided attempt at innovation.
The festival also featured the Aletheia performance by the UK's leading choir, which showcased Žibuoklė Martinaitytė's stunning work for four pitches and three voices. The performance was a testament to the choir's fine-grained blend and control, and served as a reminder of what's possible in contemporary music.
In conclusion, HCMF is a festival that consistently pushes the boundaries of new music, often with remarkable results. While not every performance is a success, the overall experience remains one of the most compelling and haunting experiences of its kind.
ugh i felt so drained after listening to that 2nd concert lol its like they took all the noise in the world and put it into one piece 
anyway idk about innovation but sometimes u gotta know when to stop right? not every experiment is gonna be a success 
u can't just throw stuff together hoping it'll work out. sometimes u gotta have patience & trust the process 
maybe they were trying 2 push boundaries but in a more subtle way next time? 
like i loved explore ensemble's performance tho, that acoustic-electronic combo was straight fire 
& btw arvo pärt's music is underrated imo 
I'm still buzzing from the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival! 
The whole vibe was so eerie and atmospheric, perfect for an autumn evening 
. I loved how they mixed up the lineup with some bigger acts and newer stuff. That Bryn Harrison piece was giving me chills 
and Explore Ensemble's Canon Mensurabilis sounded like magic 
. And can we talk about Arvo Pärt? His music is still so groundbreaking, even after 90 years 
. The only thing that bugged me was the Dedalus Ensemble piece with milk frothers 
... what were they thinking?! 
But overall, it was a festival for the books! 
. Also, how does 90-year-old Arvo Pärt's innovative spirit get passed off as "daring" if he's not considered avant-garde? 
. It really added to the atmosphere of the festival and helped create this sense of unease that many of the performances relied on.
. The atmosphere was so eerie and fitting for the time of year, but I'm not surprised they've had big-name acts coming through since '78. Arvo Pärt's music is like a ghost from the past that still haunts me today 
. And Bryn Harrison's set? Chills, dude 
– I get what they were trying to do, but it didn't work for me this time around.
. Can't wait to see what they have next year...
...anyway, the Aletheia performance was absolutely breathtaking 
...and exploring Ensemble's work with Rytis Mažulis? totally blew my mind 
...HCMF 2026 can't come soon enough, I'm already counting down 
