Erik Satie's "Vexations"

“In order to play the theme 840 times in succession, it would be advisable to prepare oneself beforehand, and in the deepest silence, by serious immobilities.” – Erik Satie

Prior to 1963, Erik Satie’s Vexations was a relatively obscure piece of 19th-century piano music.  But John Cage reimagined this work and its possibilities when he chose to take Satie’s instructions literally. His original 18-hour performance became a cultural touchstone for pianists, inspiring performances of greater and greater duration. The longest recorded concert lasted 36 hours, played by Interdisciplinary Arts Collective musician Aaron D. Smith in August 2021.

In a unique collaboration between sound, movement, and color, Smith will be performing Vexations alongside 8 dancers in a 38-hour concert, featuring an evolving visual art installation by Dani Mendez. Beginning the morning of Friday, July 1 and continuing non-stop until the evening of July 2, the performance is open for audience members to come and go as they please. We invite listeners to join us for 10 minutes, an hour, or 38 as we explore the mutability of time, the radical potential of listening, and the consequences of sustained effort alone and in partnership.

Vexations will be performed at Sugar Space Arts Warehouse, 132 S 800 W, on July 1-2, starting at 8am on Friday and ending at 10pm on Saturday. Admission to the concert is pay-what-you-can, with cash or Venmo accepted at the door. Audience members are welcome to come and go for any duration of the concert. More information at interdisciplinaryartscollective.com/vexations

The concert is available as a livestream: https://youtu.be/NLibk9V_1uI

Vexations is supported by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums