Fall 2016
Friday 2:00 - 4:50
WLH 2136
This performance-based seminar focuses on non-instrumental works written outside of the canon of classical instrumental music for performers and electronics. Electronic, visual, and/or theatrical components of these works will be deciphered and reconstructed. In addition to examining works by composers such as Cathy van Eck, Michael Beil, Jessie Marino, and Leo Hoffman, students will collaborate to create and perform original works.
Syllabus
Week 1: Intro, The Hits: Thierry de Mey Table Music, Simon Steen-Andersen Run Time Error, Jessie Marino Rotblau, Rick Burkhardt The Great Hymn of Thanksgiving
Week 2: Mime: Michael Beil Exit to Enter, Matthew Shlomowitz Letter Pieces [perform], Steve Takasugi Sideshow [homework]
Week 3: NO CLASS
Week 4: Performative Electronic: Cathy Van Eck Song no. 3 [speaker head box] and Wings, perform]; Leo Hoffman The Reply, Kaj Duncan Computer Music [Homework: project proposal]
Week 5: Narrative: Rick Burkhardt The Great Hymn of Thanksgiving, Magdalena Meitzner XII The Hanged Man (Tarot des Sens), Anne La Berge butterfly piece, Jessie Marino percussion duo
FROM NOW ON, 1/2 of class is rehearsal.
Week 6: Physicality: Body/Choreography:: Megan Buegger, Jenna Lyle, me
Physicality: Brain Stuff:: Maryanne Amacher, Toshiya Tsunoda
Week 7: Objects as Instruments: Carola Bauckholdt Hirn & Ei, Rie Nakajima, Hanna Hartman, Alison Knowles, On Structure
Week 8: Instruction-oriented: Jennifer Walshe Zusammen I, Carolyn Chen ear piece
Week 9: Projects and critique
Week 10: Projects and critique
___________
Class 1: Intro, The Hits
Download Matthew Shlomowitz's Letter Pieces
Falk Hübner's article on musicians as performers
Links to pieces viewed in class:
Thierry de Mey Table Music
Simon Steen-Andersen Run-Time Error
Jessie Marino Rotblau
Cathy Van Eck Wings
AssignmentDownload "Matthew Shlomowitz's Letter Pieces" (linked above). In a group of two or three, choose one of the letter pieces and be ready to perform it in next week's class. This means, meet with your partner(s) and come up with the sounds/gestures you will use to perform the piece. Read through the piece together to make sure it works ok.
Class 2: Mime
Matthew Shlomowitz's Essay on The Automaton Approach
Links:
Michael Beil Exit to Enter
Score
PD patch
Interview with Michael Beil
AssignmentMake a 3-5 minute task-oriented audio instruction track for a group of 3-5 students. The track can include instructions to make sounds, either with objects, voice, or electronics; facial/bodily gestures or movements etc. You can make an electronic track to accompany the piece. You may include a click track, but you don’t have to.
This doesn’t have to be fancy— if you don’t have recording equipment/editing software, use your phone or a computer at school.
If you have troubles with the technical aspect (or other troubles) of this assignment, email me.
Please email me the soundfile for your assignment by October 17th at midnight.
Class 3: Task-oriented performance, process-based pieces
Links
Alison Knowles' Event Scores
Yvonne Rainer's Trio A and the No Manifesto
Suggested Reading: Michael Kirby A Formalist Theatre: Acting and Not-Acting
List of (more) pieces
Final Project Guidelines
Choose one piece that may be classified as a non-instrumental performance piece-- either from pieces we have covered in class, are linked above, or pieces you have discovered on your own-- to reconstruct and perform. You will select one element within the piece to alter-- this can be a performance, compositional, electronic, etc. element. For example, if the piece employs a particular processing technique, you may choose to replace this with a different technique. Or, you may choose to substitute physical actions, or performance indications. The piece may include up to 8 performers or as few as 1.
Class 4: Steve Takasugi Sideshow
Class 5: Performative Electronic
Cathy Van Eck Speaker Head Box & Wings
Leo Hoffman The Reply
Alvin Lucier Bird and Person Dyning
Class 6: Kaj Duncan Computer Music
Neele Hückler Crackles
Class 7: Objects as Instruments
Rie Nakajima, Hanna Hartman
Jessie Marino Endless Shrimp
Carola Bauckholdt Hirn & Ei
Andy Ingamells/Maya Verlaak Tape Piece
Class 8: Narrative
Rick Burkhardt The Great Hymn of Thanksgiving
Anne La Berge Black-veined White Splendor
Magdalena Meitzner XII The Hanged Man (Tarot des Sens)
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