"Writing about music," an old expression goes, "is like dancing about architecture". An expression used to express the futility of translating music into words.
So what about translating architecture into music?
Mia Cera Salsjö is becoming known for translating famous architectural landmarks into music. Federation Square in her hometown of Melbourne became a score for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2022, and then in 2023 she turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into music.
Mia's latest work sees her across the Tasman, composing for the tenth anniversary of the Len Lye Centre in Ngāmotu New Plymouth.
Salsjö has transposed the architecture, including its dramatic shimmering undulating stainless steel facade - into a score for thirteen stringed instruments, which includes samples of recordings Len Lye made of his famous kinetic sculptures.
'A Score for the Len Lye Centre' also includes a large installation in the gallery of drawings responding to Lye's work and Patterson Architects building plans.
The music is to be recorded this week with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and premiered by them at the Len Lye Centre on Saturday in three free concerts.
It will then play as a recording hourly until March from the 6th of September alongside a giant installation of Mia's drawings.
