Thingamajigs presents another year of exciting new musical works for homemade instruments, found objects, DIY inventions, and alternate tunings by some of the Bay Area’s most innovative artists. Instrument inventors are a rare breed; but at this year’s 18th annual Music for People and Thingamajigs Festival, a dozen of the finest experimental instrument builders will be entertaining all ages crowds at the Center for New Music (55 Taylor Street, San Francisco). From local legends like Tom Nunn and Peter Whitehead to the freshest Mills graduates to giants of improvisation Neil Feather (MD) and Tim Kaiser (MN); from master inventors like Sung Kim and Cheryl Leonard to the man who literally wrote the textbook on experimental musical instruments, Bart Hopkin; this years festival is jammed full of variety, beauty, humor, showmanship and grace. The Music For People & Thingamajigs Festival is an annual event featuring experimental and traditional musicians and performing artists who incorporate made/found instruments and alternate tuning systems in their work. Each year, MFP&T invites such artists to join in a festival of workshops, music making, and performances with the goal of reaching a large, diverse audience of all ages. Now in its 18th year, Thingamajigs’ genrecrossing MFP&T Festival is the only annual event completely dedicated to music created with made/found materials and alternate tuning systems. Past participants include Carla Kihlstedt, Walter Kitundu, Pauline Oliveros, Brenda Hutchinson, Electric Junkyard Gamelan, and Laetitia Sonami.
