VIX Sound+Light+Motion

The inspiration that I have received from the time I was able to spend in Banff cannot be over-rated. It was a complete coincidence that I was acting as video and photographic documentary support to composer Pauline Oliveros during the first Roots and Rhizomes: Percussion Residency with Steven Schick. My discussions with the percussionists who were participating in the educational opportunity and the instructors encouraged me to complete a draft of the work for percussion quartet that I have been working on since 2003.

Pauline Oliveros was particularly inspirational to me in so many ways. Her example, as composer of “Meditation on a Single Stroke Roll”, and her advice to me in writing instructional notation were invaluable.

Hearing the very high level performances and experiencing both the excellence of traditional works and the innovation of American composer Mark Applebaum were part of the experience. Mark Applebaum is a serious composer who included a movement in his composition that had the percussionists drawing shapes with black markers on large easels. The resulting sound were amplified to create the percussive sounds of the piece. He is so imaginative to have injected such humour and wit into the intelligence of his work.

Now, I have finished a draft copy of “The Incredible Delicacy of Silence”, I have also asked a local Vancouver percussion quartet to consider performing it. They are busy with their first recording at the moment, but they have accepted a copy and will be reading it soon.

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