Umwelt

Here are two links of excerpts of the dance piece “Umwelt” by choreographer Maguy Marin. She’s the artistic dir at Centre Choregraphique nat’l de Rillieux-la-pape in France. The piece, though highly attractive and stylized, has such an incredible economy of elements- objects, movement, situations, sound, etc that she achieves the general form of what i’ll call here for lack of a better term, “uncomfortable hypnotism”. It’s clear she put a great amount of time into the timing of return, combination, and variation of her various objects for the ensemble- plastic silver reflective crowns, pieces of meat, whistles, flashlights, buckets of rocks, bunny hats, etc. There was clearly a notion of repetition varied between consecutive and very long-term. There was weak material, and material meant to break up ideas of continuity for stronger material. In addition there were many different changes of clothing for each time they’d appear, going with or against the objects. All in all there was a large-scale progression of debris with some objects being left downstage. The full-time noise and large fans were a very clear situation, and they barely changed throughout- although there was some curious stuff w/the music, it was well-done in my opinion.

With such detail given to the smaller elements, and a refusal to move beyond the well-plotted scope of the piece, the real question was how was the energy to be sustained for an hour? With so many hyper-stylized elements, it could help get you only so far…and I’d say that the variations in movement created brief interpersonal relationships (always through repetition of dance phrase). This, combined with overall faster movement and energy, allowed us to achieve a form a lot more interesting than some gradual increase of energy and ensemble leading to a climactic moment-rather, it was all done very sensitively despite the overall intense situation of the piece.

In any case, here are the links- I saw it at the Joyce Theatre June 19th. The audience was disappointing… 

transition

In my last two years in paris I’ve had the experience of working within an institution, IRCAM

This was an experience very new to me, yet in some ways familiar terrain. Composing for me isn’t an investigation just in sound, it consists of pondering material, whatever it may be. The possibility of technology or ‘electronics’ permits new situations, but this idea of material can’t be ignored just to find something ‘new’, or ‘innovative’. Experimentation is necessary no matter what material it is being explored. 

In general my work has taken hold of theatre, working with space and performers in a way that deals with musical movement and theatrical movement as related and overlapping elements. This direction is moving me towards different work. Of enormous influence have been political issues and social issues of late 40’s-late 60’s and beyond. Individuals such as Isidore Isou, Maurice LeMaitre, Jacques Villegle, Guy Debord, and Henry Chopin are of particular importance. Movements such as situationisme, lettrisme, and poesie sonore have had enormous influence in addition to historical elements in the late sixties in Paris. 

 

All my Thanks:

I’ve had the privilege to work with and learn from many inspiring people, especially Mikhail Malt, Emmanuel Jourdan, Jean Lochard, three very gifted pedagogues. Researchers such as Arshia Cont, Emmanuel Flety, Diemo Schwarz, Greg Beller, Nicolas Rasamimanana, Frederic Bevilacqua, and Norbert Schnell. Yan Maresz, as a composer and as a teacher has helped me in countless ways. Pedagogy director Cyril Beros has supported me and given me enormous space in finding the result that I desire- such enthusiasm and encouragement is very rare. Through him I’ve had the enormous privilege to work with Thierry Bordereau, an incredible theatre director. It has been a joy to find the links between contemporary music and theatre with him.

Many thanks to Sophie Duplaix at the pompidou center. Her interest in my work and that of Jacques Villegle, among others, is greatly appreciated.

 

The production team here has allowed me to realize one project (position, influence) as well as a second piece for October (68). Many thanks go to Pascale Bondu, Joachim Olaya and Maxime Le Saux.

Most importantly are my classmates, each composers of great gift, always inspiring and supportive: Marco Suarez Cifuentes, David Hudry, Mandy Fang, Inaki Estrada Torio, Piet Johan Meyer, Roque Rivas, Matteo Francescini, and Yann Robin. My second year I had the joy to get to know yet even more composers who arrived to study here. 

And yet the most important are the musicians, without whom nothing is possible. I’ve had great fortune to work with Donatienne Michel-Dansac, Severine Ballon, Daniel Ciampolini, and Lionel Peintre. They have taught me so much.

Finally I must thank those who have made these last two years possible, those at Berkeley, California. I will thank them in person: Edmund Campion, David Wessel, David Milnes, Cindy Cox, and the rest of the gang.

 

 

 

 

return

last couple of months: putting together the piece ‘68′. There is always more work to do, and it’ll continue while I’m back in the bay area, starting in July.

last couple of years: living here in Paris. I’ve met some really important people and have had some great experiences. I’ll be juggling Paris and the bay area for some time I’m sure.

next couple of weeks: I’ll see Berlin for the first time, and then I’ll be in new jersey. Then I arrive to the bay area the 28th of June. Looking forward to getting back!