The lowdown: Austin art enthusiasts and tastemakers mingled at Departure Lounge on November 18 to kickoff the Blanton Museum's upcoming Art on the Edge. The revamped soiree, which will be held on February 20, transforms from a successful after-party into its own signature event in 2016. Tickets to the upcoming black-tie affair, which promises to celebrate Austin's vibrant cultural scene, go on sale to the public December 1.
Who: Kate Perez, Kevin Smothers, Taylor Steed, Rachel Charlesworth, Kerry Rupp, Mark Hamlin, Deserae Mack, Alexandra Wilson, Jed Farrell, Raj Luhar, Liza Willmore, Erica Brennes, Meredith Schulz, and Patti Niewolny.
Jed Farrell, Raj Luhar, Art on the Edge Host Committee Member Taylor Steed, and Liza Willmore.
Photo by Andrew Fritz, Azul Ox
Jed Farrell, Raj Luhar, Art on the Edge Host Committee Member Taylor Steed, and Liza Willmore.
The members of Austin Unconducted are used to playing without a written score.
Classical music can be as weird as any other genre; in Austin, that's called "Offbeat." KMFA Classical 89.5 presents a new live-composed work in its Offbeat Concert Series Friday and Saturday, February 6 and 7. This work will unfold in real time in a world premiere performed by Austin Unconducted and Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre, using a technique called Soundpainting.
Soundpainting is a musical sign language created in 1974 by composer Walter Thompson. In a way, it is not so different from conducting: a "soundpainter" signals to the players what they would like to hear using hand gestures. However, conducting usually only adds information to a written score. In this case, the sound painter creates the composition as it progresses — while some of the players' interpretations shape the piece in unexpected ways.
Here, the creator of Soundpainting demonstrates the technique:
The performance — evocatively titled A Soundpainting Collaboration of Live Music Compositions — will include three works around 20 minutes each. They will draw from pre-existing musical excerpts as well as formations that the musicians will take as they play.
The audience will also be part of the experience, not just as spectators but as writers and noisemakers. They'll get a chance to respond to prompts before the performance, and Soundpainting allows for "spontaneous audience participation through voice or movement," according to a press release from KMFA.
Andrea Ariel, an Austinite who has worked to advance Soundpainting with Thompson since 1998, will be the soundpainter. Ariel's theater is the only company practicing the art form. Austin Unconducted is the perfect Soundpainting partner, since the string group usually performs without a conductor and is experienced in listening and responding to each other in real time.
“Live composing adds mystery, increases anticipation, and elevates excitement,” said Ariel in a press release. “We hope to inspire an engaging experience that is inclusive, creative, and energetic —an intimate community space where daring playfulness, participation, and connection spark pure delight.”
Tickets ($35 before discounts for students, seniors, and more) are available at kmfa.org. The show starts at 6 pm with a pre-performance talk featuring the artists. Music starts at 7 pm and a mixer at 8 pm closes the evening. Tickets include complimentary beverages by sponsors and "light bites."
