“SYNAESTHESIA PLAYGROUND” Jocelyn Ho, Artistic Director and piano, recorded by Nobuho Nagasawa on May 1st, 2016)
World Premier Performance, May 1st, 2016, Recital Hall, Staller Center or the Arts, Stony Brook, New York
From internal to collective bodies: from the second half of the program
“Lux Venit” by Daniel Weymouth
[breath] with Al Petersen and Pierre Depaz
* Optical fiber attire responds to the energy and breath of the pianist
Visuals: Luminescent optical fiber attire “Bio Lux” by Nobuho Nagasawa
with HUL ARNOLD
Concert attire “Musculi” by HUL ARNOLD
Lux Venit is about “becoming.” From an inchoate sonic cloud, the pianist calls the world into being, at first with individual notes, which become colors. The ontological nature of a performer’s gesture—how it moves from private intention to external action—is mirrored in the way these colors move from her inner life to her luminescent “skin”, the sculptural attire. The light then continues outward as it flows through the audience. The computer sound becomes a larger “skin” for the piano, projecting the instrument’s sound into a wider sphere.
The piece is in two connected movements, which contrast yet relate: the first is more ritualistic, while the second more frenetic. The first moves towards the low end of the piano (and the “low” end of the color spectrum, the reds), while the second moves higher (towards violet), until creation becomes a cycle of breaths.
Much appreciation to Jocelyn for inspiration—and audacious playing! And to Al and Pierre for programing the “bridge” for the colors’ movement to Nobuho’s luminescent optical fiber attire Bio Lux and the audience devices. Please note: You, the audience, are part of a massive distributed color-projector. Be sure you join the network, and enjoy your participation in creation!
