Bio
Alex Olloman’s storytelling music flits between song and spoken word and invites us on a cinematic journey of epic poetry for the 21st century. Meanwhile a storm of generative visuals swirl around the performers and make another abstract layer that plays on the words of the songs. This is the improvised projection art of Guillermo Martín-Viana.
The arrangements of the songs have a folkloric flavour of chamber pop that nods to the kind of soulful experimentalism that will intrigue any fans of Tindersticks or late Scott Walker: Choruses swell with string arrangements which appeal to the heart. From time to time its pop elements collapse into deconstructed layers of spoken word over heaving drones.
String trio is made up of Shana Raine Browne (violin), Alkistis Misouli (viola) and Tjalle Galama (cello). Frame-drum and metallic percussion played by Ivan Gianakis. The Olloman Ensemble was formed in October 2023 and made its first big splash a month later in Het Concertgebouw after the song, An Endless Hour, made it to the final round of the Goodmesh Competition.
Alex Olloman dropped out of music school 10 years ago to pursue many interdisciplinary projects including forming a circus in London, (Gasp Productions), and a platform for experimental approaches to sound (aux-sonic.com). He came to Amsterdam to study at Gerrit Rietveld Academie and continued to coordinate gesammtkunstwerken involving all his friends. The Olloman Ensemble is another one of these works.
“Alex is componist, muzikant, performer, regisseur en installatiemaker, kortom een kunstenaar die meerdere kunstdisciplines beheerst. Hij bedenkt, creëert en organiseert zijn kunst. Zijn verhaal is deels gebaseerd op feitenonderzoek maar wordt sterk aangevuld met poëtische vrijheid. Als kijker of luisteraar word je meegenomen in Alex gedachtewereld waar een prachtige reis door tijd en landschap wacht.
– YAA awards
https://www.youngartsupportamsterdam.nl/2022#AlexOlloman
Social media
homepage: www.alexolloman.com
ig: www.instagram.com/alex_olloman/
fb: www.facebook.com/alexolloman/
Tech rider:
Amplification for all instruments is ideal. Where this is not possible we at least require amplification for vocals (detailed below)
- Provided by venue:
- PA Mixer
- 3x monitors
- 1x vocal microphone (ideally headset mic)
- 1x microphone for viola
- 2x mic stands (gong+frame drum) / 3x mic stands (if only handheld mic is available)
- 5x XLR cables
- Provided by us:
- 2x microphone for violin + cello
- 4x music stands
- 1x snare stand (for hand-pan)
- (Mostly) acoustic scenario:
- – 1x vocal
- – PA
- Inputs:
- 5x XLR inputs