Vladimir Miller
vladimirmiller@onetel.net.uk
tel: 00 44 20 8857 5139
fax: 00 44 20 8857 7551
SourCream Wed 05 Nov, Kings Head, Upper St. N1
Brick Lane Film Ensemble at The Other Cinema, Rupert St., W1 29th Oct, details BLFE homepage
Born 1958, Chile. Studied piano & flute at Trent Park University, London 1981-1984. During this period he experimented with theatre & performance arts & regularly performed the works of composers such as Kurt Weill, as well as writing his own compositions & forming his own performing groups.
From 1987 he played frequently in his jazz quartet on the London jazz circuit whilst maintaining residences over periods of two to three years as a solo pianist. In 1990 he formed a duo with saxophonist & vocalist Heather Joyce who co-wrote music that was performed at the Bath & London jazz festivals, & for the award winning theatre production of Carousel's "Smokescreen" premiered at the Brighton Festival.
Between 1992 & 1995 he travelled widely in the former Soviet Union including the Ukraine, Russia, the Baltics &Tuva exploring new avenues of music & performing at major contemporary music festivals as a soloist & with Russian musicians. This resulted in two funded tours of Russia awarded by the British Council with multi-instrumentalist Paul Moss on one occasion, & on a music education project to Siberia & Tuva with percussionist & journalist Ken Hyder on another.
He has contributed compositions to the Moscow Composer's Orchestra which he now directs & under his direction have released five Compact Discs to critical acclaim. The orchestra has performed extensively in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Russia & England. His pieces have been broadcast on the Impressions programme for BBC Radio & other major European radio stations. He is also a member of The Tsar's Components a musician's collective that embraces a myriad of stylistic references & approaches. In October 1995 the group was awarded a British Arts Council grant & consequently toured the south-west of England. In 1995 he was invited by Free Music Production in Berlin to perform an evening of solo piano & various group combinations including a duo with Steve Lacy. He continues to collaborate with many contemporary musicians & groups, most notably the trios Northern Lights & Vladimir Trio, the latter having toured Japan in October 1998 &recorded a CD to be released on the BAJ label.
Finally a word about the Brick Lane Film Ensemble. B.L.F.E is a contemporary modern music collective who compose music spontaneously to silent film, as well as to narration or performance poetry. During their three year existence the ensemble has performed regularly including invitations to performed at two London based festivals; 'London International Theatre Festival ' ( LIFT) June 12th 2001in conjunction with the films of Mikhail Kobakhidze and the absurdist poetry of Daniil Kharms as performed by Lily Orlova, and also in November 2000 at the 'Whitechapel Festival Cafe' with the vastly inventive travel films of the Belgium film maker Martina Van Hecke.Their most recent appearence complimented an international multi-media project of poetry, live music, film and drama at the 'Stratford Circus' in Stratford.
The ensemble consists of three musicians: Vladimir Miller- piano and keyboards, Paul Moss- reeds, flute, and home made instruments, Lukax Santana- percussion.
B.L.F.E have also invited guest instrumentalists such as the Russian virtuoso bassoonist Alexander Alexandrov.
Discs:
Kings & Cabbages- Moscow Composer's Orchestra..LeoLab 005
Life at City Garden- Moscow Composer's Orchestra..U-Sound 95027
Frontiers- Tarasov Pilibavicius Miller..LeoLab019
Improvisations & Varnish- Arteaga Kolkowski Miller..Longarms 96020
Five Facings- Steve Lacy Plus.. Free Music Production
Festivals:
Bolzano Jazz, Berlin
Koln Musik Trieniale
Moscow Alternative, Vilnius
London Unsung Music
Tampare Jazz
Archangeksk Jazz
Novosibirsk
Noci Jazz