At last!! It took several months to pull together, but I am quite excited to have finished this excerpt video of last year's huge project, Arise for 18 solo string players. This project was the culmination of over three years of birdsong research and four months of collaboration with A Far Cry and the unique physicality of the Calderwood Hall at the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum. (Add the scent of cedar!)
Many thanks to Josh Weinhaus for pulling a fantastic team of videographers together, and to Jesse Lewis for capturing the sound in a difficult to capture, three-dimensional, four-story environment.
Arise
Birdsong-based, site-specific composition for 18 solo string players of A Far Cry
and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
April 2013
2.26.2014
8.14.2012
2,3,4
"2,3,4" Collaboration with visual artist Katherine Mann, dancer/choreographer Rodney Veal, and violinist/composer Shaw Pong Liu exploring dimensions of space/time and the relationship of humans to contemporary technology. A performance exploring sculptural cut-paper paintings, composed and improvised sound and dance, live painting, and interactions with pre-recorded sound triggered by bodies on stage using Kinect infrared sensors, in collaboration with engineers from the University of Dayton, musicians and singers from the Dayton Philharmonic, and dancers from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. August 2012.
7.30.2012
"Nothing Without Joy"
There is nothing like a 48-hour stretch of inspiration, intellectual provocation, and intense, joyous learning to make the world new again.
"Nothing without joy" said Loris Malaguzzi. This idea was one of the many beautiful touchstones of a truly remarkable gathering of people at "The Arts and Passion-Driven Learning", an institute run by the Silk Road Project and Harvard University School of Education.
I was fortunate to be a part of an incredible community of musicians, teaching artists, and educators in a weekend devoted to talking about and exploring the idea of learning that is driven by deep emotions, and how the artistic process is a powerful learning model through which other disciplines can be explored.
I don't even know where to begin - so many powerful ideas, so many personally revelatory moments. I just know that my whole world view has taken a re-orientation, and I am startled by the force of this new mental order. One major idea is that the approach to learning that artists can inspire and share (of constantly higher standards and constructive critique) is one that could fuel both a stronger educational model (see Expeditionary Learning - amazing!!) and create a wiser, more sensitive, more empathetic world.
I can't explain succinctly how this has exploded the rather limited (albeit personally important) sidebar in which I previously viewed the role of arts education as distinct from the "essential" subjects, but it is a major mind-shift. Arts-integration no longer sounds to me like a nice idyllic dream for those with the privilege - it sounds like a crucial approach that could both save the kids who can't multiply, and lift humanity into our next higher level of evolution.
As with everything the Silk Road does, a magical space of open-ness, experimentation, and inclusivity permeated the institute. Yo Yo and others talked about how passion inspires generosity - people want to share the things they are excited about - and I felt the passion, generosity, and concern for community intensely all weekend. The over-arching themes: Engagement, Connection, Collaboration and Community, were delved into in deep and diverse ways.
Admittedly, I went into the weekend thinking of it as more of a gig - I would go teach my workshop on music and storytelling, see some friends, and then duck out to get back to the other work I need to squeeze in. However, once I stepped into the faculty meeting on Friday afternoon, a circle of chairs for some 25 people, and heard Steve Seidel speak, I knew this was not just a job or a gig: this was another world - one of passionate, generous, intellectually-provocative sharing - that was a beautiful model for the rest of the real world. I gladly shuffled my weekend so that I could be at the whole institute and drink of this community. What a gift!
"Nothing without joy" said Loris Malaguzzi. This idea was one of the many beautiful touchstones of a truly remarkable gathering of people at "The Arts and Passion-Driven Learning", an institute run by the Silk Road Project and Harvard University School of Education.
I was fortunate to be a part of an incredible community of musicians, teaching artists, and educators in a weekend devoted to talking about and exploring the idea of learning that is driven by deep emotions, and how the artistic process is a powerful learning model through which other disciplines can be explored.
I don't even know where to begin - so many powerful ideas, so many personally revelatory moments. I just know that my whole world view has taken a re-orientation, and I am startled by the force of this new mental order. One major idea is that the approach to learning that artists can inspire and share (of constantly higher standards and constructive critique) is one that could fuel both a stronger educational model (see Expeditionary Learning - amazing!!) and create a wiser, more sensitive, more empathetic world.
I can't explain succinctly how this has exploded the rather limited (albeit personally important) sidebar in which I previously viewed the role of arts education as distinct from the "essential" subjects, but it is a major mind-shift. Arts-integration no longer sounds to me like a nice idyllic dream for those with the privilege - it sounds like a crucial approach that could both save the kids who can't multiply, and lift humanity into our next higher level of evolution.
As with everything the Silk Road does, a magical space of open-ness, experimentation, and inclusivity permeated the institute. Yo Yo and others talked about how passion inspires generosity - people want to share the things they are excited about - and I felt the passion, generosity, and concern for community intensely all weekend. The over-arching themes: Engagement, Connection, Collaboration and Community, were delved into in deep and diverse ways.
Admittedly, I went into the weekend thinking of it as more of a gig - I would go teach my workshop on music and storytelling, see some friends, and then duck out to get back to the other work I need to squeeze in. However, once I stepped into the faculty meeting on Friday afternoon, a circle of chairs for some 25 people, and heard Steve Seidel speak, I knew this was not just a job or a gig: this was another world - one of passionate, generous, intellectually-provocative sharing - that was a beautiful model for the rest of the real world. I gladly shuffled my weekend so that I could be at the whole institute and drink of this community. What a gift!
10.11.2011
99% String Quartet Debut Performance
The 99% String Quartet ("of, by and for the 99%") performed a noontime concert at Occupy Boston today, forming a little musical bridge between the farmers' market and encampment worlds. With my awesome friends Sharon Cohen (violin), Sarah Darling (viola) and Michael Unterman (cello).
It was a blast! We were blessed with sunny weather, great crowds, and a gracious farmers' market organizer who supplied us with a tent for shade.
It felt really amazing to share gorgeous music, our passion and our love to this movement.
Musicians are the 99% (as are each and every one of you who are reading this)!!
occupyboston.com
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/10/occupy-boston.html?mbid=gnep
It was a blast! We were blessed with sunny weather, great crowds, and a gracious farmers' market organizer who supplied us with a tent for shade.
It felt really amazing to share gorgeous music, our passion and our love to this movement.
Musicians are the 99% (as are each and every one of you who are reading this)!!
occupyboston.com
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/10/occupy-boston.html?mbid=gnep
7.15.2011
If you want to know more...
There are only so many web-updating hours in a day, and these days, my project blog is where I'm spending that time.. Creating, directing and producing Translations with a team of eight musicians, seven dancers, ten crew members, plus guest birders, guest iPhones, and guest singers was an incredible experience!
I invite you to read more at my blog: www.abirdaday.org! Photos to be posted soon, and I'm embarking on the video editing today (a multi-week adventure)!
I invite you to read more at my blog: www.abirdaday.org! Photos to be posted soon, and I'm embarking on the video editing today (a multi-week adventure)!
6.12.2011
Crazy Art-Making in Dayton OH!
I'm excited to be back with Blue Sky Project for a third summer, this time with a residency as a Community Artist-Investigator (Instigator!).
It's a very open-ended residency, and I'm thrilled to be here with this uniquely supportive and stimulating community of professional artists and teenage collaborators.
It's an amazing program, and Blue Sky feels like a creative home to me.
It's a very open-ended residency, and I'm thrilled to be here with this uniquely supportive and stimulating community of professional artists and teenage collaborators.
It's an amazing program, and Blue Sky feels like a creative home to me.
4.05.2011
NEWS
A Bird a Day is going to Maine!
I have been selected as an artist-in-residence to work on A Bird a Day at Acadia National Park April 25-May 6. I am super-excited to spend 11 days immersed in nature, listening deeply to birds and writing music. Hurray!
I have been selected as an artist-in-residence to work on A Bird a Day at Acadia National Park April 25-May 6. I am super-excited to spend 11 days immersed in nature, listening deeply to birds and writing music. Hurray!
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