GLIMMER: CREATING NEW CONNECTIONS

GLIMMER: CREATING NEW CONNECTIONS

Jason Freeman
(Georgia Institute of Technolgy)
http://jasonfreeman.net/
http://www.performthemedia.net/

Glimmer, a composition by the author for chamber orchestra and audience, seeks to actively engage orchestral audiences by creating new connections between composer, performers, and listeners that enable them to collaborate to create the music together during each performance.

Each audience member is given a battery-operated light stick that he or she uses to participate. Computer software, written in Cycling ‘74’s Max/MSP/Jitter environment, analyzes live video of the audience and sends instructions to the orchestra via multi-colored lights on each player’s stand.

A simple video projection animates the activities of audience groups and the competition between groups. This paper outlines the theoretical background and motivations for creating Glimmer and describes the conceptual framework and technical realization of the work in detail.

Two performances of the work are evaluated with respect to the audience, the musicians, and the resulting music that was created, and with respect to the project’s design goals of accessibility, reliability, transparency, and sustained interest.

The challenges of integrating new collaborative networks and technology into conventional orchestral performances are also addressed.

here is the pdf

Watch the Video or here
and click on the image to view full size

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