Part of the Pure Lucia project, “Lunch with Lucia” is a web series of lunchtime conversations exploring the music and legacy of composer Lucia Dlugoszewski. Hosted by curator Dustin Hurt, each live Zoom session features a guest artist or scholar delving into a different facet of Dlugoszewski’s work—from her groundbreaking timbre piano technique and invented percussion instruments to her radical approach to composition for brass, strings, and dance. These informal, accessible discussions offer a unique chance to rediscover one of the most visionary—and underrecognized—figures in 20th-century experimental music.

In this session, pianist and researcher Agnese Toniutti explores Lucia Dlugoszewski’s extraordinary timbre piano—a performance practice she developed beginning in 1951, and one of the most distinctive and essential features of her musical language. The program will feature rare archival recordings as well as an up-close look at some of the original objects Dlugoszewski used inside the piano to produce an astonishing array of sounds.

Unlike John Cage’s prepared piano, which employs screws, bolts, and other fixed objects placed between piano strings, Dlugoszewski’s timbre piano technique involved playing directly upon mostly unaltered strings using bows and plectra crafted from diverse materials—wood, plastic, metal, glass, bone, hair combs, brushes, even porcelain. These specialized tools enabled Dlugoszewski to draw forth unique timbral qualities, from subtle, delicate resonances to bold, dramatic textures. Her performance style was inherently theatrical, characterized by sweeping gestures and expressive movements that added an arresting visual dimension to her concerts.

Used extensively across her repertoire—both as a solo instrument and within ensemble settings—Dlugoszewski often performed her timbre piano works herself, showcasing not improvisation exactly, but a highly focused pursuit of what she termed “aesthetic immediacy.” Toniutti’s presentation will illuminate the creative spirit and innovative techniques behind this singular instrumental practice, revealing how Dlugoszewski’s groundbreaking approach remains uniquely fresh and compelling today.

Following the presentation, Toniutti will join Dustin Hurt in conversation about her own experience interpreting and performing Dlugoszewski’s music, and her ongoing research into the timbre piano. Based in Italy, Agnese Toniutti specializes in 20th- and 21st-century keyboard repertoire, with a particular focus on compositions involving extended techniques, prepared piano, and unconventional performance practices.

This online program takes place from 12:00pm to 1:00pm Eastern US time (EDT) as a Zoom Webinar. Registration is required, but free. An archive of the program will be available on the page after the event.

This event is part of PURE LUCIA, a retrospective of the life and work of Lucia Dlugoszewski.

Major support for PURE LUCIA: THE MUSIC OF LUCIA DLUGOSZEWSKI has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage with additional support from the Amphion Foundation.