Contrasting sounds

As I expand on the content of the Blog I will be focusing mainly on works I am doing, especially since there is quite a great deal of things on the horizon between Mocrep, Ensemble 20+, concerts, and commissions. So there will be lots to talk about, figure out, experiment with, and create.

Up first, I am working on Vinko Globokar's Dos a Dos right now, which is a wild work. We are doing it with two horns as it is scored for any two instruments. I am working with Composer/Hornist Max Pankau on it which is great. One interesting aspect of the work (from many, between lights, and screaming at each other in the dark) we get to choose our own unique acoustic articulations (aka sounds). We are experimenting with using different mutes to create unique contrasts to each other in addition to other more conventional means of altering sound.

Enter..... The glass mutes. (Composers should probably stop reading here... As I don't want to be a victim of mob brutality. Though, if someone does want to write for glass mute, a few quick things. 1. Glass mute changes will be SLOW, we are dealing with something that will make some fantastic new dents in our horns, or will shatter on the ground. 2. If the texture around this is in anyway "thick" you wont notice it, this is a subtle colour. 3. Most people probably wont want to make a mute...)

Back to the mute. Glass mutes all sound unique, the best way to describe it is like a straight mute that doesn't resonate much. That is a very simple way to explain it, the quality of the glass, cork or no cork, thickness of the bottle, etc, all effect what sound will be created. So we are trying lots of things, including water in the mutes, and other creative applications of materials.There are almost limitless possibilities. It should be noted that Globokar does not call for glass mutes, we made that decision ourselves. This is an important distinction of Globokar's works, is that we as performers get to search and experiment to conceptualize and realize the work within Globokar's outline. It is a great experience and as a performer is very rewarding because in the end you feel that you have really created something unique. 

There are some other great things in Dos a Dos, voice, lighting, staging, all the things we expect from Globokar. I will get into this more and probably throw up some videos of experiments as we work to realize this work.