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7000 Oaks

the 7000 oaks project (knuckleduster version) is underway.  a re-mount/-imagining/-mix of the original joseph beuys installation in kassel, we decided to make it a part of the knuckleduster haus der kulturen der welt concert commission we recently did. the concert series was part of the programming HKW was doing around sustainability, and the 7000 project was meant to be part of our concept/contribution to the program, along with our concert and video.

a nice idea—interesting concept, long term life, etc., etc. fine.  a minor part of our life as a band, something to keep track of and occasionally do.  one of the many small things that we as artists take on in our practice—a responsibility, but not a pressing one.  occasionally irritating, often neglected.  not one that makes a huge difference but worth keeping alive.

until we planted the first tree.

going out into the urban wilderness, dragging our seedlings, a small shovel.  some water.  moving through the weeds and broken bottles, my daughter in tow.  finding a place, somewhat sheltered for the little plants, but with enough room for them to grow.  digging in the dirt, soil under our fingernails.  the rich black colour of the earth, the smell of it.  and then the trees, nestled under the bushes, drinking in the water and sun and air and our hopes that they grow and shade many small children.  the trees carriers of our future hopes.

this could be one of the most important things i ever do.

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knuckleduster in Berlin at haus der kulturen der welt

knuckleduster will perform at berlin’s haus der kulturen der welt this june as part of their program of lectures, art and music uberlebenskunst.  more info here: http://bit.ly/Iqsmvz

robert and i are looking forward to our show — we have some sumptuous surprises in store.  do join us.

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working with sound

i’m sound designing a play for theatre passe muraille right now, which happens to be written by (and stars) my sister pamela.  the sound design is quite complex, by which i mean building the running cues for the sound involves many abrupt cuts and changes of audio state, let alone making the actual audio.  and in rehearsal today i got to thinking about how the internal pulses and arc of the sound itself can be magnified by movement and text, how it can become stronger even though it serves and is played in tandem with other elements.

it’s a beautiful dance.  i hope you can come see the show.

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new solo set

update:  a very nice review is here.

as you may know if you are a facebook connection, i will be opening for colin stetson at the perimeter institute for theoretical physics on march 31.  in honour of that occasion, i have been working on finally making a live set for anudrutam, something i have been wanting to do for a long time.

i am happy with what is happening so far—a re-visiting of the works on the cd in a way that keeps to the ideas and intent behind the original tracks but also refreshes them for live performance.  have a listen, and see you in kitchener on the 31 of march.

http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/perimeter-institute-preview

http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/perimeter-institute-preview-1

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nuukoono in wire magazine

very happy to have learned that knuckleduster received a great review in wire magazine in the upcoming april 2012 issue by none other than clive bell.  robert and i are thrilled to have this going out to the world.  hit us up on twitter to stay on top of news from the duo, including info on a show at berlin’s haus der kulturen der welt in june and our upcoming european tour.

don’t forget to visit the knuckleduster website for video, links to purchase the cd, and other news.

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Canada Council funding new works in 2012

I’ve just received notice that the Canada Council for the Arts will fund the creation of a new text/audio work in 1.1 (mono speaker + subwoofer) entitled hati.  the piece will have life as a static installation/playback work, a performance and who knows-what-else.

conceived as a piece that looks at the infrasonic communication of elephants and the re-imagining of the Hindu god Ganesh, hati has been brewing in my mind for close to 4 years now.  i am thrilled to be able to put aside time to work on this piece thanks to the council.

stay tuned…

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upcoming DEB: here and elsewhere

Greetings everyone, and Happy New Year. After many months, it is time for an upcoming DEB, the first of 2012.

Some very excellent new projects in the pipeline, and a lot of outside-of-Toronto things happening that I thought I would like to let you all know about. If you find yourself somewhere, look for me.

Good tidings to you and your kin for 2012. I hope we see each other soon.

Deb

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1. Mrs. Warren’s Profession at Manitoba Theatre Centre Warehouse
Opens January 20
Tickets available here

I’m pleased to be the associate sound designer (with John Gzowski) for the MTC Warehouse production of the Shaw play. Directed by Alisa Palmer.

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2. Peggy Baker Dance Projects at NYC’s 92nd St Y
Feb 24-27
More information here

Peggy Baker Dance Projects is taking 3 works to the Harkness Dance Festival in NYC, 2 of which I have composed the music for: Coalesce, a 35 min trio, and Armour, a duet choreographed by NYC’s Doug Varone. I will be accompanying the, er, company to participate in the performances’ first half, where the creative genesis for the full works is presented to the audience. The 2nd half of the show is the full production.

I’d like to thank the Canada Council for the Arts for helping with the travel costs of this trip through the Travel Grants to Musicians program.

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3. Knuckleduster CD’s coming very, very soon

I am super thrilled to announce that Nuukoono, the CD of my new duo Knuckleduster (with Berlin based Robert Lippok) now actually exists in the real world. We are getting ready for an early February online release, and you will be able to buy physical copies from our Warsaw based label Gustaff. Coinciding with the release will be the release of some live video from our show in Toronto last November, shot by Jeremy Mimnagh, and some other bonus material.

You can read about the genesis of the project and listen to an interview about the recording process in the fantastic GDR Radio studios in Berlin at our website.

I’ll let you all know when the CD is available online. It’s a really gorgeous object with a giant cover designed by Berlin design house AEIOU.

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4. The Light nears completion

After many months of work, my (almost) one hour Höerspiel (radio work) is nearly complete. I will be meeting with the inimitable surround sound master engineer Phil Strong to create a 5.1 mix in the next while, and the AV performance version is now nearly complete. You can preview this project at my vimeo page, here
and here.

Thanks to the Ontario Arts Council’s Grants to Media Artists (Mid Career and Established) program.

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5. ds in residence at the Koffler Centre with Yair Dalal and Frank London
March 28, with workshops the week preceding the concert. More information here.

I am thrilled to be part of a great group of Toronto musicians with NYC based Yair Dalal and Frank London. These 2 musicians are at the top of their game and we expect a lively week of rehearsals and composing preceding the concert at the Jane Mallet Theatre on March 28.

Details are still being set, but set aside the date for some very special music (and possibly some visuals programmed by yours truly).

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More is coming, including a play written by and starring my sister Pamela at Theatre Passe Muraille, opening in May and directed by Alan Dilworth. I’ll be sending out another missive in mid March detailing these and other projects.

Best of the year to you! Make sure you say hi if you are at any of these shows.

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knuckleduster toronto cd release date confirmed

good news!  the duo knuckleduster will be doing our cd release for nuukoono, our first cd on november 11 in toronto.  the illustrious garrison is the venue, and we will be welcoming music lovers from far and wide.

9pm is the start time, with an opener tbc.  knuckleduster hits the stage around 11.  tix a very affordable $10.

hope to see you there, and stay tuned as always.

 

 

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the sound of one sample peaking

i have had the good luck to expand my collection of raster noton music.  listening to the fantastic kangding ray just now, a mid 2000 release, stabil.

this sound of electricity in all its forms (kangding ray with his overtones of r and b, alva noto with his precise, detailed, relentless and beautiful clicks, shimmers, and breaths) is, i find, more and more fascinating every time i encounter it.

i think it will drive my work for some time to come.  the light is a door.

http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/electricity

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guelph jazz festival video installation

work on the light, which you have been reading excerpts of over the summer, continues apace.  now getting into the nuances of mixing spoken text with music, thanks to the help of the inimitable phil strong.

heading to the guelph jazz festival tomorrow to install skin, a single channel video which, like many of my projects, has many forms.  this time i’ll be installing it as a kind of immersive experience in the VIA rail station.

it will be part of the nuit blanche program, and many fantastic acts will be playing over the course of the night.  i will update this post next week with pictures and video from the installation.  if you are in the neighborhood, do come and say hi.

until next time.