It has always been an interest of mine to collaborate with artists of varying media. During my music study, I was always keenly aware of the ways in which the musical, visual, kinetic, and literary arts, among others, helped shape and inspire each other. I have been most engaged by the performances that involve various artistic practices and love seeing the dialog that can occur between them. The way audiences connect to the combination of artworks seemed generally more powerful to me, as if they were gaining a deeper insight into what the artists were hoping to convey. These thoughts, experiences, and observations led to my idea known as Telephone. Loosely based on the children's game, we began with a composition. This composition was recorded and sent to a poet who crafted a short poem. A painting responded to the poem and was then responded to by a piece of bead work. This was followed by another painter, a jazz composition/recording, a short film, another painting, a piece of pottery, and finally a composition composed for the original instrumentation (flute, double bass, and vibraphone).
It took a total of 10 months to complete this project from initial recording to first unveiling, a celebration of the Mackinac Island Community Foundation's 20th Anniversary. One of the best parts of this project was getting to see the artists view the works of art that were produced before and after their own. It was difficult not to see threads of an artistic conversation throughout the process, although sometimes there were some interesting diversions that then influenced new directions and ideas. Below are pictures and links to give an idea of this artistic journey. To hear a radio interview with CMU Public Radio about this project, click here: http://wcmu.org/news/?p=8742
Project #1: North Shore at Dusk a composition for flute, double bass, and vibraphone by Scott R. Harding
(performed by: Tess Miller, flute; Melissa Straus, double bass; Scott Harding, vibraphone)
Project #2: Antiphon a poem by James Bogan
Project #3: What Happens Next a diptych by Amanda and Joel Wyse
Project #4: Charting the Boundaries a bead work by Kelly Dorman
Project #5: Revery a painting by Pam Finkel
Project #6: Diminishing Returns a jazz composition by Alex Graham
Project #7: The Igloo Island a short film by Rob Kalmbach
Project #8: Intertwining Visions a painting by Maeve Croghan
Project #9: Arching Flowers Platter by Julie Porter and Brent Heerspink
Project #10: Last Call a composition for flute, double bass, and vibraphone by Whitney Ashe