With Strings: Live Audiovisual Sampling in Counterpoint
Jeff Morris
This album features live audiovisual sampling with violin, cello, and a visual artist working in paint. The first piece, titled B4ch1007 ("Bach Loot"), in six movements, is a deconstruction and reconstruction of the opening motif from Johann Sebastian Bach's famous Cello Suite. In the video, images of Bach's original score are distorted by the sound of Bach's Cello Suite; we used this video as a graphic musical score to interpret through improvisation. Next, Three Improvisations with Violin presents a portrait of the violinist and his instrument: first, within a busy ensemble, then alone with his memories, and then deep inside the instrument and inside its own raw sound. The video for this work uses the sound of our improvisations to distort the cover art for the album, which was created by April Zanne Johnson, in response to her synaesthetic perceptions as she listened to the album.
Jeff Morris creates musical experiences that engage audiences’ minds with their surroundings. His performances, installations, lectures, and writings appear in international venues known for cutting-edge arts and deep questions in the arts. He has won awards for making art emerge from unusual situations: music tailored to architecture and cityscapes, performance art for the radio, and serious concert music for toy piano, robot, Sudoku puzzles, and paranormal electronic voice phenomena. His music is on Ravello Records.
But Where There’s Hope There’s Life
A Collaborative Project by Health and Kinesiology Dance Program, Performance Studies, History and Visualization
Premiered in November 2020, But Where There’s Hope, There’s Life focuses on the Holocaust and communicating the impact and importance of this event in our history. The work comes at a time in our country where we are questioning the ideas of immigration, human rights, and civility for others. The work consists of nine choreographed sections that include various visual and audio elements from the Department of Visualization and the Department of Performance Studies.
Project Creators and Choreographers
Carisa Armstrong, Christine S. Bergeron
Visualization
Dr. Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo (Visualization Director), Eman Al-Zubeidi (Visualization Design), Julia DeLaney (Visualization Design)
Performance Studies
James R. Ball, III (Dramaturgy), Anne Quackenbush (Historical Scenes Director), John Moeller (Audio Engineer)
History
Dr. Adam Siepp (Historical Advisor)
Film Team
Vishwanand Shetti (Video Director/Editor), Igor Kraguljac (Director of Photography), David Lackey (Video Assistant), Christian Rousseau (Video Assistant)
Composers
Ezio Bosso (Composer - sections 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), Richard D Hall (Composer - sections 1, 3, 4, credits)
Musicians
Mackenzie Wade (Viola - Richard D. Hall compositions), Elizabeth L Massad (Cello - Richard D. Hall compositions), Ashley DuBois (Voice - Richard D. Hall compositions)
Production Team
Brooke Griffin (Associate Production Manager), Taegan Besancon (Assistant Production Manager), Krissie Day (Stage Manager), Owen Smith (Lighting Designer), Rocky Payton (Fly/Rail Operator)
Dancers
Sarah Babick, Julianna Barraza, Chloe Bergeron, Emily Bowlin, Myah Brown, Grace Bulkeley, Kylie Callaway, Ella Cox, Madeleine Dardeau, Hannah Hanz, Mary Emily Holland, Anna Jones, Madelyn Klumb, Caroline Knowlton, Victoria Mauer, Brianna Mendoza, Eliza Milner, Mya Pepito, Adia Richardson, Betsi Cate Riddle, Danielle Schraer, Katie Traylor, and Kailyn Williams
Actors
Shayna Ambers, Ty Dobson, Caylie Evans, Grace Harmon, Chandler Keller, and Megan Timmer
Visualization Team
Amanda Blettner, Connor Bugni, Esther Cho, Morgan Jenks, Caleb Kicklighter, Carlos Perez, and Araceli Reyes