The rhythm of time on Earth
Why create art about the seasons?
About time
Exploring any subject - for me - tends to be stimulated by some blend of curiosity and devotion. I feel this way towards time generally, but I feel particularly keen towards the seasons because they give rhythm and nuance to our yearly pulse of whirling around the sun.
Seasons create settings of physical and intellectual focus
The seasons portray milestones of time in its cyclic aspect of growth, full expression, decay, death and regeneration - or - rising/moving away, apex/furthest distance, descending/returning, nadir/union. These are states of being we all encounter - both seasonally, and in the various phases of our lives. In creating and sharing works about the seasons, the choir and the audience are able to enter into a heightened experience of each of these phases. These sorts of shared immersions within experiences common to all is moving, grounding, celebratory and soothing all at once.
Cultivating attention & intention
I am from the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, so I'm used to seasons with a capitol S: hot summers; cold winters; fiery autumns; blossoming springs. Now I live in the Bay Area, where seasons are subtle. They exist more as shifts in the angle and color of sunlight, and in the range of temperature within a day. So to touch and connect with the essence of each season in this place of seasonal subtlety has instigated a deep level of attention and intention that has immeasurably enriched my connection to nature, time and life itself - a richness I hope is conveyed and passed on to the choir and audiences.
More about these works
The Long Tone Choir has been performing my durational sound and sculpture installations about the seasons, beginning with winter in January of 2017, followed by summer 1: insects, and spring. We will be performing autumn on November 11th, 2018 at the Center for New Music in SF, CA. We'll conclude with summer 2: harvest in 2019, which may take a slightly different format from the rest of the series. The works are similar in sound to this video. The sculptures are made of organic materials collected during the season, and contain the scores the choir is performing.