Erik Griswold
Originally from San Diego, composer and pianist Erik Griswold, interested in prepared piano and music of Sichuan province, now resides in Brisbane and composes for adventurous musicians, artists, dancers, and poets.
He is research fellow at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, and holds a PhD from the University of California, San Diego.
Erik Griswold
Prepared to explore
For the past fifteen years, the prepared piano has been my musical laboratory. The main focus of my musical exploration, it’s provided a springboard from which to dive into new creative streams. Prepared piano has served both as a performance medium and as a hands-on tool for composition and improvisation …
Guaaguanco
A prepared piano is a piano (usually grand) altered by placing objects and materials between and on the strings. Screws and bolts are placed snugly between adjacent strings to lower the pitch, produce rich unusual harmonics, and introduce percussive and buzzing effects. Rubber and wood can be wedged or laced between strings to mute the tone, shorten the sustain, dampen the higher harmonics, and create a percussive attack. Paper and cardboard can also be used to affect the attack characteristics and produce unpredictable buzzing effects …
The main focus of my practice, and of this discussion, is the unique possibilities of prepared piano.
Wallpaper 1 (excerpt)