Piano Mapping Concerto | Roath Chamber Orchestra | Cardiff
I was transported to a different place floating around in space!- Audience Feedback
About the performance
Piano Mapping Concerto was created in collaboration with composer Max Davies for the Square Miles event. Originally intended as a solo performance, the opportunity arose to join forces with the Roath Chamber Orchestra and transform the work into a full concerto. It takes a traditional three-movement form, with the orchestra and piano in dialogue throughout, while the piano part is entirely improvised. The music is accompanied by three visual scenes: the first guides the audience through a strange-but-familiar landscape where the pianist sparsely ‘plays’ the visuals using controls on the piano, while the second and third are more overtly reactive to the improvised performance. This creates a live interplay between sound and image, blending orchestral composition with responsive visuals. The concerto was performed at Urban Crofters in Cardiff and recorded in March 2025.
Visuals made orchestral concert enjoyable where it isn’t normally my thing- Teenager Audience Feedback
Piano Mapping III | First Iteration
In the early iterations of our work on Piano Mapping, we were figuring out how to make the piano actually “play” the visuals. The big challenge was connecting the piano’s MIDI signals into Unity so the visuals reacted in real-time to what was being played. I tried different setups, eventually using TouchDesigner to translate the MIDI input into something Unity could read, then passing it on to Arena Resolume for projection. It meant mapping every single key and knob by hand.
These versions weren’t just about testing the tech — they were also about finding the right way to tell a story. We played with different scenes: a nature journey that guided the audience through a strange-but-familiar world, and more abstract light visuals that responded directly to improvisation, leaving room for people to interpret them in their own way. That mix of clear narrative and open meaning became a core part of how the project works.
I felt like I was watching a performer playing a game with music. Almost as if I was navigating through a virtual world myself.- Audience Feedback
Piano Mapping III | First Complete Demo 2024
It wouldn’t have come together without Max. His ideas, compositions, and feedback pushed the project forward at every stage, and our back-and-forth was what gave it its shape. Even with all the trial and error, these early versions were where Piano Mapping really found its identity, proving that live improvisation and visuals could be tied together in a way that feels like one shared performance.
I won’t be exaggerating if I say peace and safe! I wish it was longer — such amazing visuals and a spiritual performanc... well done and thank you!- Audience Feedback
It was really good and it makes me feel calm while curious about what will happen next.- Audience Feedback