Οpen Day: Minimalism(s)

The annual Onassis Stegi Open Day is now an established event. Every year, the Onassis Stegi is opened up to the public and visitors can move freely through the building, choosing the activities that interest them to create their own aesthetic journey.

In this, our fourth annual Open Day, we won’t be focusing on the work of just one composer, but seeking to make an initial foray into the wide-ranging musical genre that is minimalism. Alongside the work of celebrated composers like Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Alvin Lucier, James Tenney, and John Luther Adams, we will also be presenting artists from around the world who are less well-known in our country along with some up-to-the-minute compositions.

Minimalism, a term introduced by the composers and critics Michael Nyman and Tom Johnson, describes an aesthetic trend which has dominated contemporary music since the last third of the 20th century. As a concept, minimalism is far broader than most people think. By definition, it includes works which use minimal (to no!) musical material/scores or instruments with limited capacities; compositions in which creative process and form are one and the same; music based on drones, static sounds, or near-unprocessed recordings of nature; works with exceptionally slow, virtually imperceptible changes and an almost obsessive emphasis on repetition; microtonal compositions; and works which embody principles from non-European musical cultures or engage in a dialogue with jazz and rock.

Every space in the Onassis Stegi—the lobby, the Upper and Main stages—will be home to singers, musicians, actors, performers, students and art-lovers taking part in a marathon performance of emblematic musical works and happenings, most of which have never been performed in Greece before. At the same time, visitors will be able to browse through scores and books and watch films and videos by and about the artists. Finally, the tribute also includes concerts in the Upper Stage featuring soloists and ensembles.