Hamshaw-Mills
Longplayer Live (2025)
1000 minutes long Performance.
Performed at the Roundhouse, London
I had the incredible opportunity to be apart of the 25th year anniversary live performance of Jem Finer’s 1000 year compostion ‘Longplayer’. The song started at the end of 1999 and is due to end in the year 3000.
More info and to listen to it:
Longplayer
Longplayer: a piece of music that lasts for 1,000 years without repetition – Channel 4 News
Here’s some answers i wrote out about my experience that is not going to be in an article... so i wanted to share them here anyways incase they are lost to the ether!
1- What made you want to take part in the Longplayer performance?
I initially found the project in an ad on social media! It was quite random and out of the blue, but as I delved into the project, I fell in love with its ethos and concept. I have always been interested in art that plays and messes with temporality and is something that I try to implement into my creative work. Longplayer stood out by showing how far we could use temporality within sound, and frankly being the longest performance/art project I’ve seen to date. With the live performances of the composition being very rare, I knew that it was something I had to be a part of. Being a part of the ensemble, to share the work to the public, was something that I truly wanted to do.
2. What do you think is most interesting about the piece?
The most interesting part for me has to be the hope that is instilled in the concept. With how the world looks now and things that are happening everywhere, it's hard to feel hope unfortunately, but Longplayer stands as a testament against these odds.
3. What was the process like of learning how to play the score? What was challenging?
Actually, to my surprise I found the process to be quite easy. From an outside perspective, before I joined the ensemble, I was worried about being able to convey the composition, but Jem Finer has set a strong foundation that sets you up and running in the performance very quickly. I feel this is a great element that will help with its survivability, as something that maybe more complex could fizzle out over the years. Physically, getting the bowls to ‘drone’ did require a good amount of practice to get a smooth tone, without any unnecessary sounds adding to the mix.
4. What was it like performing on the day itself at the Roundhouse? What surprised you about the experience?
Performing on the day was such a special event for me. The first couple times you come out, you really feel the space and nerves. It’s a completely different environment and feeling to how it had been in the rehearsals. With all the elements linked in, you really feel a part of this organism. By the start of the day, it felt as if we were running the score, but come late evening, it felt as if the score had transcended into its own living being, as we drifted in and out to accompany it. It had a real power and energy to it.
5. Has participating in Longplayer made you think differently about time?
Tremondously. Not in a morbid way, but it has made me realise how fleeting time is. My time spent playing Longplayer in the grand scheme of 1000 years is quite negligible. This doesn’t mean that it is of no value or worth, it has made me more appreciative of the time I spend now and what I do with it.
6. Do you think you’d like to stay involved in Longplayer in the future?
I would love to stay involved with Longplayer. Being someone to champion the work and bring it forward into the future would be a great joy to me. When I get older, I want to be able to give younger generations the experience and opportunities I have experienced at that age.
7. Do you think it’s important for Longplayer to continue to exist? If so, why?
I think it’s important for it to exist and continue on as it serves as a milestone and a marker for the past. As the years go on, Longplayer will be that constant we can look to and realise how far it has all come. This in turn lets us reflect on ourselves, seeing how far we have come too, for better or for worse.