Toy Pianos

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Kate Ryder works extensively with unusual keyboard instruments, including toy pianos, music boxes, antique keyboards and prepared piano, incorporating them into her performances through commissioning new works, improvising, recording and giving workshops on these unique instruments. She has taken her pianos around the world, performing in concerts and festivals in America, Australia, Europe and Russia.

Her solo and ensemble Toy Piano projects are developing an authentic new keyboard repertoire for her fast growing collection of small vintage pianos (1904 – 1960) ranging from one to three octaves. Kate’s unique approach to Toy Piano, often standing as she plays with the pianos stacked around her, treats them as a multi keyboard sound source while mixing them with beats, electronica and images. Her performances in unusual spaces from nightclubs to medieval churches and theatres, locate these tiny instruments in an entirely different sound world, creating a fascinating new perspective for the listener and performer alike