GJJ Interview for NME

Lots of TLAs here …

Had the pleasure of interviewing Gary James Joynes (AKA Clinker), multidisciplinary artist and musician, for the New Music Edmonton podcast “The NO Normal” recently.

It was a really lovely opportunity to talk to Gary about his work – both new and older – and catch up with him about some ideas and influences we share in our respective practices.

The No Normal podcast is now available on Soundcloud and wherever else podcasts are available.

The first episode of 2021 features some great discussions and music. Ian Crutchley, New Music Edmonton Artistic Director, discusses a wide range of topics with the incoming Artistic Directors of New Works Calgary, Rebecca Bruton and Lesley Hinger. They also share some of their own music with us. The second part of this episode is the interview/conversation between me and Gary. There’s also a sneak peak of some of Gary’s forthcoming work, and discussion of his new piece Sonic Suns (((GENESIS))) commissioned by New Music Edmonton, and available on Vimeo.

Give it a listen – The No Normal Podcast has had a great line up so far – lots of interesting ideas and projects!

Thanks to New Music Edmonton for the opportunity!

Musicworks and Macromareal

It’s been head down and ‘getter done’ lately on a number of fronts, and so writing her has fallen by the wayside for a while.

In any case, in the midst of getting various jobs finished in the studio and elsewhere, I received a lovely thing in the mail:

The latest issue of Musicworks, with a great article by Ian Crutchley

It’s always a bit of a thrill for me to see the work of my collaborators & friends showcased – and this article about Scott Smallwood‘s work is well written and wide-ranging.

It’s also really lovely that Ian contacted me for comments fo the article, and that he wound up including some information and pictures from Macromareal – my first collaboration with Scott. Timing was more than fortuitous, as Macromareal (redux) had just closed at the ~Diffuser Gallery at Emily Carr.

A nice moment to look back on the work we did, and a great collaboration – in the midst of working on several things, and looking forward to new adventures.

Slippages in Cleveland

Happy to say that the video work I did in collaboration with Deborah Carruthers – Slippages & Panelled/Slippages – is in a Group Exhibition at Zygote Gallery in Cleveland OH. Capturing the Aura of the Already Said, curated by Margaret Hart, is on exhibition until April 26th.

An Excerpt of the performance video with synched audio below:

And Panelled/Slippages, full length with audio:

Slippages – Score and Performance

UBC Symphony Orchestra performs Deborah Carruthers’ “slippages” from UBC School of Music on Vimeo.

Here’s a video of the performance of Slippages, edited by Jonathan Girard to show the relationship between the Graphic Score written by Deborah Carruthers & the performance the audience heard.

It was great to be involved in this project; my thanks to Deborah, Jonathan, and John William for being such great collaborators, and for welcoming me in to this project!

Enjoy.

Macromareal at University of Lethbridge

Happy to say that I have been busy sorting and packing work, and helping to write a presentation for the last while …

Scott Smallwood and I will be presenting a talk and our collaborative work Macromareal: a rising tide lifts all boats at Crossing Boundaries/IAST 2018 symposium, October 25 – 27th!

iast talk

IASt talk desc

If you would like more background on this project, see the blog posts here>, here>, here>, and here> – and the project page HERE>

It’s going to be a really interesting few days, and I am looking forward to meeting the other participants and talking with them about discipline-bridging work. I’ve long held the belief that the ‘divide’ between art & science as disciplines is false and limiting – which is not to say that there aren’t real challenges to be faced when working this way.

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But there are so many rich opportunities to be had for artists to stretch themselves and learn to ‘speak science’ a bit better, and pay attention to the precision in research & practice in that discipline  – just as there are for scientists to learn how to ‘speak art’ a bit better and open up the potential for co-creation, and approaching their work with fresh eyes (and ears!)

 

Slippages – video of the performance

Back in Edmonton now, doing some post-performance and post-Thanksgiving work: the “get yer ducks in a row” for the next work to be done.

Much to be thankful for, as always – being able to make work with talented collaborators, the opportunity to share ideas and approaches here and in person, the tremendous support I receive from my family and friends (without whom none of this would be possible).

So – a brief moment to take stock, and to share a link to the video of the performance shot for Livestream on October 5th.

Click on the IMAGE BELOW to go to the UBC School of Music’s video:

The Present is the Key to the Past: Glaciers, Scores, & Sound

Here’s a great little interview with Jonathan Girard and Deborah Carruthers about Slippages,and some of the thinking behind the work! Getting very very excited to see this all come together tomorrow. Enjoy!

Seeing Sound … and getting ready for Slippages

I’m in Vancouver now, and working on the last edits for the video work I am creating to accompany the world premiere of Slippages on October 5th.

image © 2018 Deborah Carruthers, used with permission

 

I am delighted to share UBC Orchestra Director Jonathan Girard‘s take on what we are doing:

“Deborah’s gorgeous score presents a thrilling challenge. How do we, as musicians, interpret visual art?” explained Girard.

“We want the music to speak to the cool beauty of the work, but also the ideas behind it: of flux, of change, of loss. Just as the natural world has a life of its own, a kind of agency apart from human influence, we want the music, through improvisation, to have a life of its own that goes above and beyond the performers.”

image © 2018 Deborah Carruthers, used with permission

 

For those of you not able to attend in person – the performance will be LIVE STREAMED – so I hope you have a chance to check it out!!

Getting very excited …

Slippages

Life presents some really fascinating opportunities now and again, and I am excited to say one has crossed my path!

I will be presenting a brand-new collaborative video work entitled at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in Vancouver BC on October 5th!

This new work is part of a larger performance and installation work – Slippages – developed by Montreal artist Deborah Carruthers, that is an outgrowth of her work as Artist in Residence at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies. Slippages  is a synthesis of material from researchers at the University of British Columbia  (UBC) regarding the physical, anthropological, and philosophical properties glaciers. In collaboration with Maestro Girard (and Wall Scholar for 2018-2019), Deborah is working with the 110-member orchestra to present a structured improvisational sonic piece drawn from a graphical score she has created; the video work we are creating will be presented above the orchestra as part of the performance.

Ice contains no future, just the past, sealed away. As if they’re alive, everything in the world is sealed up inside, clear and distinct. Ice can preserve all kinds of things that way – cleanly, clearly. That’s the essence of ice, the role it plays.
― Haruki Murakami, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

Athabasca Glacier- Macro No. 3, giclée on Epson enhanced matte paper, 24″ x 36″, 2017 ©️ Deborah Carruthers

 

 

For those in the Vancouver area – this is my invitation for you to join us!

I am really thrilled to be working with Deborah, Maestro Jonathan Girard, and the UBC Orchestra to bring this work to life.