Hofesh Shechter Company has launched ‘Play at Brix’, an online competition to find a talented young guitarist. The winner will perform in Political Mother: The Choreographer’s Cut at O2 Academy Brixton this autumn, as part of #HOFEST.
‘Play at Brix’ will offer a young guitarist (18-25 years) a paid opportunity to perform at one of London’s most iconic music venues as part of the band. Political Mother: The Choreographer’s Cut —with 40 dancers and musicians—brings a rock-gig atmosphere to contemporary dance.
The idea was inspired by the handwritten note that Shechter placed in a Brighton music shop window back in 2010 to form the original band. Joe Ashwin answered that original note and has since traveled the world with the company.
Ashwin commented: "I stumbled across an advert in a guitar shop one day and went for an audition not knowing the rollercoaster I was about to be part of. This company has taken me all over the world playing guitar. A life changing opportunity to say the least.
"I’m looking forward to meeting the talented young guitarists this competition brings and joining the winner onstage at O2 Academy Brixton."
Applicants must learn a two-minute riff from Ashwin’s video on YouTube then record a video of themselves playing it followed by a minute of improvisation. The closing date for all entries is 26 July at midnight. For more details, see the Hofesh Shechter web site.
Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to attend an audition workshop on 15 or 16 August. The winner will be announced 20 August via Twitter and will need to be available between 5 and 8 October for rehearsals and performances.
#HOFEST is a four-week-long season of work presented by Hofesh Shechter Company across London during September and October 2015. The company will collaborate with some of the city’s leading arts organisations in four strikingly different venues: Royal Opera House, Sadler’s Wells, O2 Academy Brixton and East London Dance at Stratford Circus.