The MOUTHPIECE
OF THE GODS
a music-dance ‘ritual’ performance portraying
ancient Celtic instruments
The ritual element of the performance is enhanced through choreography as well as through the pulse of the drum. As trombone virtuoso John Kenny narrates and plays an extraordinary range of instruments, a solo dancer drives the story forward through her movement, embellished by symbolic totemic animal masks. The versatile range of percussion provide an exciting counterpart to primordial timbre of the ancient wind instruments.
John Kenny: music, narration and performance of conch, cow horn, bronze age horn, Deskford carnyx, Tintignac carnyxand Loughnashade horn, Pete Vilk: percussion, Diane Portelli: dancer, Dorian Mallia: rehearsal director, John Purser: script, Jennings Falzon: masks and stage properties, Ritienne Zammit: costume design, Christopher Gatt: light design
THE MOUTHPIECE OF THE GODS is produced by Ruben Zahra.
Premiered as part of the Malta International Arts Festival on the 11th of July 2019 at the Neolithic temple complex of Ħaġar Qim, Qrendi – Malta
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In the press
“older than the Celtic language spoken by many of the musicians who would have played these instruments”
MIAF publication, June 2019 – text by John Purser
“from the conch the story moves forward in time to embrace other instruments: cow horn, Bronze Age horn, Deskford carnyx, Tintignac carnyx and Loughnashade horn”
ENCORE Arts & Culture Magazine, issue 17 May 2019
“Scottish virtuoso John Kenny playing ancient Celtic war horns and other primordial ritual instruments”
BIZILLA, Airmalta inflight magazine, June 2019
