HOTA invites you to come and witness composer Charlie Chan set the world record for the longest improvised piano concert - solo - but with a little help from their friends. It's called SUPERNOVA, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience headed our way at the end of this month.
SUPERNOVA is a 24+hour marathon endurance performance by one of Australia’s leading concert pianists, composers and creative innovationists, coinciding with the winter solstice at the Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 June.
Featuring special guest artists and musical styles galore, this never-before-attempted concert event serves as a retrospective of Charlie’s 40-year career as a virtuoso pianist and composer.
Supernova will incorporate 10 distinct phases across the 24+hours, beginning at 4pm on Friday 23 June, which will bring together a mix of energetic and dynamic performance, along with classical, contemporary, jazz and experimental music, plus meditation, yoga, music for children, music for dogs, music FOR the whole community - all live, all day, all night, and all on the HOTA outdoor stage.
To set this world record, and to be able to perform consistently across the 24+hours in ways which are safe and sustainable, Charlie will need to nap, eat and take occasional bathroom breaks. To cover for Charlie during these brief times off-stage, Charlie has created an AI – known as ChAI – which they’ve taught to compose and perform live music as if it were Charlie themselves, with all of Charlie’s own nuanced musical style and attributes. In another world-first, ChAI will make its debut at Supernova on HOTA’s outdoor stage.
This magnum opus event comes at the halfway point in a record-breaking year for Charlie Chan, during which they’re releasing 52 albums, dropping one album of never-before-released solo piano works every single Friday, to create a collection of 600+ tracks, known as 'Constellation'. In week seven of 52, Charlie broke the record for the most albums ever released by an artist in a single year: Come along to Supernova as Charlie sets a brand new record - for the longest improvised piano concert ever performed!
Says Charlie of this truly Herculean effort:
"Creativity is infinite, this endurance performance is a demonstration of how possible this is.
"I am inspired by nature, and all the different time zones of the performance are unique in their tempo and vibe. I love the idea that I am creating a soundtrack for them and that the environment - sunshine, wind, tides on the lake behind the venue will inspire the music.
"Supernova is a reflection of all the things I love in the world, music, the piano, my creative relationships with my friends. In 2018, I helped launch the outdoor stage with a magnificent community event for Earth Hour, The Concert for the Planet. It feels like home performing at HOTA.
"Creating a 24Hr+ soundtrack for people to come and go from during the day, is really an exciting opportunity. The music will evolve with me over the entire concert and will inspire people to have big ideas.
"Bringing together people to share music and creating an experience with them is my goal. I'd like to think I am making the world a little bit better with my music and inspiring people. It's about inspiration and creativity, all the things we are going to need to solve our big world problems."
Phase 1 – SUPERNOVA marathon performance starts with CELESTIAL SOUNDS PM (Music/Yoga/Meditation Friday 4pm – 6pm)
Introduced and performed by Charlie Chan, this session begins with a 45 min yoga practice led by Stef from Yoga by Stef and is followed by a group meditation guided by Charlie and underscored by an improvised soundtrack created live. Meditators can join Charlie on stage, with yoga participants setting up on the forecourt to stretch to Charlie’s Celestial Sounds (BYO yoga mat.) FREE and all welcome, including those new to yoga and meditation.
Phase 2 – THE COSMOS (Friday 6.30pm – 9pm)
Bring the family, a picnic rug and a sense of wonder as Charlie takes us on a journey through the cosmos, performing music inspired by the stars above us, including works from 'Constellation', Charlie’s 52-album opus, which sees a new album dropping every week through 2023. During this phase, Charlie will be accompanied by some of Australia’s most celebrated musicians, including world-renowned drummer Grace King, along with singer-songwriter Keely Eggmolesse and other special guests. Also FREE!
Phase 3 – DEEP SPACE SLEEPOVER (Relaxation and Neuro Compositions for Sleep – Friday/Saturday 9.30pm – 6am)
Experience the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had! Charlie’s stunning solo piano works will calm and relax your senses, with binaural beats to lull you to sleep. This experience is limited to 30 participants, and includes a soothing cup of tea and a comfy space to sleep, BYO pillow. SLEEPOVER TICKETS $40.
PHASE 4 - CELESTIAL SOUNDS AM (Music/Yoga/Meditation – Saturday 6.30am – 7.30am)
Introduced and performed once again by Charlie Chan, this session begins with a 45 min yoga practice led by Stef from Yoga by Stef and will be followed by a group meditation guided by Charlie and underscored by an improvised soundtrack created live. Once again, meditators will be invited to join Charlie on stage, with yoga participants setting up on the forecourt to stretch to Charlie’s Celestial Sounds (BYO yoga mat). FREE and all welcome.
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PHASE 5 - MILKY WAY BREAKFAST FESTIVAL (Saturday 8am – 10.30am)
Charlie will be joined by Maree Field from the Outback Spectacular who will perform with her iconic Border Collies. Bring your own dog to walk and play in this special session featuring music specifically composed for our four-legged friends – melodies with frequencies silent to the human ear, but with unique canine appeal. This will be an exceptional listening experience for dogs AND their humans. This show will be a wake-up call for the whole family. It will include music from some of Australia’s most cherished children’s TV shows, with readings from some of Australia’s favourite children’s stories by Breanna Swan - Bus Stop Films’ Ambassador @autisticswan.
PHASE 6 – FIRST NATIONS ASTRONOMY (Saturday 11am – 11.45am)
YRACA musician and performer Lann Levinge will tell First Nations stories about the sky, with Charlie accompanying him live with their evocative improvised piano soundtrack.
PHASE 7 – CAPRICORNIA (Saturday 12.45pm)
Charlie will be joined by another leading Australian screen composer, Elliott Wheeler, whose credits include Baz Luhrman’s 'Elvis', 'The Get Down' and the ABC Drama series 'In Our Blood'. Charlie and Elliot will co-present an interactive masterclass in screen composition. Students of music (secondary & tertiary levels) are welcome bring their instruments to this session to participate in collaborative and improvised composition. Registration is required for participants. For more information & sheet music visit the artist page.
PHASE 8 - SOLAR WINDS (Saturday Breathing/Contemplation – 2.30pm)
Charlie will welcome local Indigenous digeridoo players to join them and will lead a session focused on breathwork and contemplative compositions. Charlie will gently guide the audience into a deeply relaxed yet conscious meditation. Everyone in the audience will be encouraged to breathe deeply and join the humming choir, in harmony with the rhythmic and subsonic digeridoo and Charlie’s evocative solo piano improvisations.
PHASE 9 - AURORA AUSTRALIS (Saturday 3pm – 4.30pm)
Aurora Australis will mark the 24-hour point in SUPERNOVA. Our universe is random, like the improvised compositions of Charlie - now will be the time for experimental synths, loops and musicality to lead into the final lap. Performing alongside Charlie will be Gold Coast beatmakers VOID Collective.
PHASE 10 - THE BIG BANG (Closing Concert – Saturday 5pm – 6.30pm)
As the winter sun sets for the second time during this marathon show, and the stars come out once more, our sky expands and the constellations explode. This closing concert BIG BANG will see the finale of SUPERNOVA. The Big Bang Big Band will be a spectacular jazz fusion orchestra, led by Charlie Chan and featuring some of Australia’s most celebrated musicians, brought together for an unforgettable concert. Charlie’s solo piano works will be reimagined in a variety of jazz idioms, rock, R&B, world and funk and will feature many of the performers and musicians from across the SUPERNOVA event. This FREE music spectacular will count down and close out Charlie's epic 24+ hour performance.
This unique event hits HOTA on 23 and 24 June 2023. Further information and Sleepover tickets here.
