You never really know what the Meehan/Perkins Duo is
going to throw at you, or even what instruments they might be playing, until
the program is in your hand — and even that might not help because the music
tends to be, well, either a bit obscure, or so aggressively modern that it’s
not even on the pop culture radar. The music could be anything from Joanna
Beyer, the grand dame of American percussion music, or, for that matter, anyone
from that circle of, sadly, largely unknown composers from the ‘30s, to new
music guru/composers like David Lang, best known for his work with Bang on a
Can All Stars, or the “superstars” of new music, people like Steve Reich or
John Cage, both of whom will be represented when the duo pulls into town this
weekend to kick off the second decade of the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival
with a slightly stripped-down concert at St. Paul’s Church, a decision based on
the size of the venue — or, more accurately, "how big of a box it is, how
many of my toys I can fit on the stage," says Todd Meehan. The instruments could be marimbas,
could be gongs. Could be congas, could be flowerpots. Could be anything they
can get their hands on. Could, in fact, be their hands. The duo has a “big
tent” view of percussion. Anything is possible.
