SPLICE Institute 2023 Participant Concert 3 Program
Saturday July 1, 2023
4:00pm EDT
Multimedia Room, Western Michigan University
Livestream simulcast on SPLICE YouTube (unique link)
download program pdf (does not include notes/bios)
Luci Holland : The Rhythm of Dreaming (2023)
June Cummings, percussion
Maxwell Miller : Apical Meristem (2023)
Robin Meiksins, flute
Matt Fountain : My Uncertain Thoughts as I Stand in the Shower (2023)
Ben Hayward, horn
Cameron Johnston : //demon (2023)
Rob Brown, alto saxophone; Cameron Johnston, laptop
Xiaowei Cao : Glitches No. 5 (2023)
Andy Dykeman-Daams, alto saxophone; Jing Fan, video creator
Colton Arnold : Journey (2023)
Myra Hinrichs, violin; Colton Arnold, electronics
Ramin Akhavijou : Scorestallation 1 (2023)
Vincent Pierce, electroacoustic harp
Notes
Luci Holland : The Rhythm of DreamingThe Rhythm of Dreaming is a percussion ensemble and custom electronics piece inspired by the science of dreaming.
The performer’s improvisations are guided by a graphic score that transitions across and represents the four main stages of sleep and corresponding areas of the brain.
Parts of the percussion array may be chosen by the performer, and has a directed layout of sections that represent five areas of the brain associated with sleep, memory, and consciousness.
Through the interpretative gestures of the performer and the accompanying electronic patch, the piece gradually sonifies imagery and data through undulating layers and ripples, inviting the audience into the imaginary snippets of a dream.
With huge thanks to collaborating partner and percussionist June Cummings who was instrumental in helping to realise and premiere this piece, to Creative Scotland for supporting the development of this piece through the Open Fund for Individuals, and to SPLICE for the opportunity.
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Maxwell Miller : Apical Meristem
I have always had a strong fondness for nature and the outdoors, and some of my time spent outside has provoked thoughts about trees. Trees are particularly fascinating for me as they are always regarded as being steadfast and resilient in nature. In the undisturbed forests, seeds are scattered through various means, and these seeds grow over hundreds of years into trees, making the best of their situation regardless of what is thrown at them. In plant biology, the apical meristem is the part of plant that grows, a thing that is always morphing and changing. Growth despite adversity.
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Matt Fountain : My Uncertain Thoughts as I Stand in the Shower
This is the sister piece to my previous existential horn piece My Anxious Thoughts as I lie Awake at Night. Where as that piece explored the general buzzing of my thoughts and chaos of trying to fall asleep with too much on my mind. This piece explores what it sounds like as I daydream in the shower, thinking of really cool or really terrible ideas that race around each other, and make me forget how long I’ve been taking. It starts quietly with a single idea, and then it begins to build and race, and tumble out of control, getting chaotic as I spin the thought other ways in my mind, before finally coming together at the end to be one really big, idea. Is it good? bad? Unsure, but I finally remember I need to get out of the shower, and it all ends in an instant.
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Cameron Johnston : //demon
//demon expands on a few of my recent explorations in music. The first is an expansion of using written score for a laptop work. The elements in the piece are triggered at specific times and interact precisely with the saxophone as determined in the score. The second exploration involves using controlled noise. My work in the past have either have no-noise elements or entirely composed of noise. With //demon, I balance and integrate noise and non-noise elements.
There are a variety of pure synthesis elements in the work, including synthesized percussion. Many of the synthesized instruments feature random automation and arpeggiation. Three effects are applied to the soloist. The first is a pitch shifter effect that is used to create a virtual saxophone choir. This shifter has some purposeful glitches the create a rich and complex sound. The second effect is a spectral freezer and sampler that is used an another instrument. The final effect is a simple delay. The work also features sampled piano with the same random arpeggiation effect.
The laptop performer of the work controls the dynamics of each of the electronic effects, parameters and intensity. They follow the score as well as reacting to the soloist to create a true duo, not just a solo with electronics.
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Xiaowei Cao : Glitches No. 5
I try to pixelate the famous trumpet opening from Mahler Symphony No. 5 in a non-pretentious way.
Glitches are a series of works featuring snippets of some of the greatest symphonies that have ever been composed, pixelated, using various techniques. Each piece combines pop culture elements, classic movies/anime quotes, and internet memes, and each one is written for different instruments with electronics.
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Colton Arnold : Journey
Going up and down is how every journey goes. The path is never going to be easy, it's not always smooth, and sometimes it'll hurt. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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Ramin Akhavijou : Scorestallation 1
Scorestallation 1 is a multimedia performance featuring a single character who plays the harp, speaks, plays electronic music, works on an interactive score, and plays music with sensors, all at the same time. This piece is an exploration of the human hearing ability and its expansion through the use of technology and science. The harpist's playing is amplified to make it easily heard, drawing attention to the sounds that are often missed in the everyday world. The soft whispers of the harpist's words add to the intimate atmosphere of the performance, inviting the audience to lean in and listen closely. As the performance progresses, the harpist seamlessly incorporates electronic elements into their playing, creating a blend of traditional and modern music. The interactive score adds a visual element to the performance, as the harpist's movements are captured by sensors and translated into a display of art that moves and evolves with the music.
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