References

Joey and Matias

Perhaps it is the strains of holiday music filling the air, but your piece makes me think of John Lennon’s ‘Happy X’Mas, War is Over’ because it is somehow both beautiful in a placid sense while drenched with a sense of melancholia. The line “…and what have you done” – places in mind the image of the person who is ‘just following orders’ and with a simple push of a button can devastate entire cities. Link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Vfp48laS8

Griffin, Rachel, Ayal

Your inspiration from mushrooms reminds me of Diego Stocco’s – ‘Music from a Tree’. Stocco sees the tree, and not only is he inspired by it, he uses the actual tree itself - branches, twigs, leaves and all to create music! The resulting performance has a strong percussive element and its ‘earthiness’ is compelling. I wonder, what sounds could a mushroom make with some…ahem coaxing? Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY-ZoVMwGKM

Kyle, Matthew, and Nina

Your inclusion of a dynamic, responsorial environment between visual and sonic art led me to this piece – ‘Notations’ by People Like Us (the stage name of UK artist - Vicki Bennett). This piece was written to be performed live. The musicians and visual artists respond to a collection of curated ‘found footage’ that has been selected for its directional/instructional elements. The moving images contain human, gestural moments (facial, hand movements) that convey expressions to be interpreted by the performers. The similarity for me between this piece and yours lies in the human need to see meaning and patterns in our environment, even when none is intended. This, in addition to our historical fascination (positive or morbid) for those who interpret these nebulous phenomena for us (musicians, artists, prophets, politicians). Here is the link: http://peoplelikeus.org/2013/notations/