2008/2009
it has been some time since my last post, and things are starting to wrap up here @ old monkey studios.
its been pretty memorable, really (see the post before this one). but there is no point going over a list of what happened, that’s what this blog is for.
i will say that 2009 promises to be full of great projects:
*a new solo CD is in the works, as well as documentation/recording projects with ensemble polaris, evergreen club gamelan maza meze (yes!) and more.
*i will be starting the creative process with the unbelieveable peggy baker, creating audio and video for an upcoming 1/2 hour dance work. possible CD release is being considered as well.
*robert lippok and i are in the planning stages for some canadian concerts and possibly a CD recording
*work continues on audio and video pieces that will be influenced by the drumming and recording i did in kolkata this past fall
*who the heck knows what else? that should keep me relatively busy i should think….
all the best to you and yours.
there is hope again
“First they ignore you, then they fight you, then they laugh at you, then you win.”
Gandhi
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jll5baCAaQU]
back in toronto
well, kolkata was more hectic than i had imagined. all my well meant intentions to keep up blog posts failed in the light of puja dhakis, pollution, sweets, and arguments about shah rukh khan. there are worse ways to spend a month i think.
lots of video footage, lots of audio has been collected and will be processed over the winter, perhaps into something new.
in the meantime, you can check out the promo video for “when the gods came down to earth”, below. its pretty impressive, if i do say so myself—i did not get the chance to see it personally as i was in banff at the time. the music for this video is one of the later pieces—in all there is about 35 minutes of sound. further info on the project is available on the website.
until next time…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEyQZ6rHAYM]
frankfurt flughafen
shockingly, frankfurt airport has free wi-fi. i was not expecting this.
it is 3:10AM toronto time. i will be brief.
watch this space for further developments and blog comments from kolkata, where i will be visiting family, collecting more field recordings, shooting video, taking lessons, and eating sweets. my wife jutta will be joining me for the festival of the goddess durga. for further information on this festival, please have a listen to my radio piece commissioned by the deep wireless festival of radio art and cbc radio.
a big thank you to everyone who tuned into the shruti re-broadcast i did a few days ago. more people than i expected tuned in, and the average listening time was over 35 minutes. i hope you enjoyed it.
brr in banff
well, i’ve been here about a week and half now, at the banff new media institute. it’s pretty great, they are looking after me well, and i have 2 studios—one in the music building b/c its so quiet there right now. and a key to the percussion storage!
the project, which was initally supposed to be about the harmonium, has shifted in focus conceptually. i am concurrently creating a screening version and a performance version, and while it is a bit hairy trying to keep everything organized, i am feeling pretty good about both. working in this way is going to be very useful for the future. i am learning a lot about creating visuals and file management…..
i’m looking forward to presenting this project in the future. stay tuned.
shruti @ harbourfront (update: with pix)
i have been selected for inclusion in the SAVAC group exhibition @ harbourfront centre, august 8-10. a new audio installation, shruti, using binaural recordings of the tanpura, field recordings from kolkata, and sound from the harbourfront site itself, will be created for this event, part of the south asia calling festival @ harbourfront.
the exhibition is free and will feature some great art from artists tackling the theme of “re-generation”.
hope to see you there.
Harbourfront South Asia Calling
UPDATE: here are some pictures from the installation. a good time was had by all.
upcoming compositions: hindus, horns and hunks
the next few weeks will be, in a word, mad. apart from gigs and rehearsals with maryem tollar’s toronto-cairo collective, leela gilday, ensemble polaris, and nadjiwan, i will be creating sound for a number of really great projects:
1. berlinale-approved maxime desmon’s new short someone is watching us;
2. a harbour symphony @ the sound symposium in newfoundland. every day @ noon during the festival composers create a piece for all the ship’s horns to play;
3. when the gods came down to earth—the audio track for a video installation by srinivas krishna to be exhibited during the Toronto International Film festival.
oh, and i have to dj a party @ the sound symposium. i hope they know what they are in for…..
more lippok/sinha pix
i have finally posted some more lippok | sinha pix from the tenori – on launch in montreal. here is a picture from the day after, featuring my giant head. go to the original post here.
working
have been a bit off the radar for some time, but working hard, trying to catch up on the sound installation and the 24 hour video project while i wait for upcoming projects and grant results.
there is a boom/bust kind of cycle in the work process that can be very discombobulating. i wonder if it is the same for all self employed people (ie anyone running their own company/business) or if it is just that way for creative people. the time to “play” and mess around is vital to creating, and yet i find that there is less and less time to do it. or maybe i’m just not focused enough. or still haven’t found the right/most optimum way of working. or haven’t figured out the work/life balance. or…..