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The first-ever experimental collaboration between a classical music ensemble and multi-turntable DJ’s debuts today at The Sage Gateshead as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

(Newcastle, August 9 – 2012) North East DJ and composer Mariam Rezaei is breaking new ground by composing music for young DJ’s to perform with an internationally renowned new music ensemble at the Sage Gateshead tomorrow.

The collaboration between North East DJ’s, aged 16 to 23, and experimental new music ensemble Apartment House is the first of its kind ever.

It is taking place as part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations linked to the London 2012 Olympics.

The self-titled debut performance, Noisestra, will see the DJ’s and musicians play music inspired by the North East and the spirit of the Olympics using visuals including 3D imagery and videos created with support from Newcastle web and design agency El Roboto Ltd.

Mariam Rezaei, said: “It’s so exciting to be able to bring a cutting edge musical experiment to Newcastle and the Sage Gateshead as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

DJ’s have performed alongside classical musicians in the past, but never with so many turntables or using graphic scores rooted in the identity and culture of North East England.

This is going to be an incredible show, a world first and a great showcase of the talents of young DJ’s in this region.”

Rezaei is a classically trained pianist, composer and a competitive turntablist, studying for a PhD in Music Composition and Turntable Repertoire at Durham University.

Later this year, she will perform at the opening of the London 2012 Olympics as part of ‘JigHop’ with Kathryn Tickell and Folkestra, and at BBC Proms 47 as part of the John Cage Centenary Celebrations.

Mariam also works as Music Director with Dance Theatre company Zendeh based at Dance City in Newcastle.

She was commissioned to lead the project, called Noisestra, by NE-Generation, the Legacy Trust UK programme for the North East; creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.

Since 2009, NE-Generation has worked with 25 young leaders, from Northumberland to Teesside, to co-commission 15 youth participation projects and allocate over £1million of funding in order to create a shift in the way young people and the cultural sector work together.

Anna Spencer, project information officer for NE-Generation, said: “Turntables epitomizes the spirit of the Cultural Olympiad and the NE-Generation project. Young people from our region are given license to dream and create and be part of a spectacular showcase of arts and culture rooted in our regional and national identity.”

Apartment House is an avant-garde new music ensemble that has performed world premieres by some of music’s most cutting edge composers including Christian Wolff, Christopher Fox, Laurence Crane and Jennifer Walshe. They will fuse the sounds of harp, electric harp, strings, percussion and accordion with the skratching and skratch tones of Noisestra’s 14 turntables.

Apartment House were recently awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for outstanding contribution to Chamber Music and Song 2011.  Directed by Anton Lukoszevieze and featuring North East resident harpist, Rhodri Davies, Apartment House are played on national radio stations in Germany, Sweden, Austria, Denmark and the UK, and are regularly heard on BBC Radio 3.

Mariam Rezaei’s ‘Noisestra’, performed by Noisestra and Apartment House will be premiered at The Sage Gateshead at 7pm on August 10^th in the Northern Rock Foundation Hall.

Tickets are free but the event is ticketed and seats are limited. For more about booking click here

NE-Generation has already worked directly with over 4,000 young people and reached audiences of over 175,000. Projects will be holding events, exhibitions, showcases and performances throughout the summer as part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations.

For more: www.ne-generation.org.uk