Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Date, time, and place for the Fling

I've been notified of where and when you all can see what Shiloh and I create. The Fling will take place at the SomArts Bay Gallery at 934 Brannan Street, San Francisco between 8th and 9th Streets, on the evening of March 11th. When I know the exact time of the opening it will be updated on the web site.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Shiloh Burton is a woman. :)

It's fascinating how the mind works, and what baggage and pre-existing mental pathways we're all equipped with. In a previous post I talked about Shiloh Burton, a photographer I've been assigned to as part of the Fling. I assumed, because I'd requested a male partner, that Shiloh was a man; but it turns out that's not the case. Shiloh is in fact a woman!

So now I'm about to have my mind expanded. It's uncharted territory for me to contemplate a relationship with a woman. I've had a few days to think about it and there are already all kinds of questions and musings in my mind that could be made into art.

Stay tuned!

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Getting it on for art...

...that's the slogan of the Fling. :)

I've been accepted to be part of the Fling. It's a collaborative art show. Artists from all genres and media submitted applications, and were paired by the organizers with one another to have a Relationship.

According to the Fling FAQ, "Fling isn't simply about the final product. It's about the process of creating a relationship...the art begins with first contact. The inspiration from this designed and imagined relationship will inform final art, which may take a completely new form in the process...the Fling was born to explore how expansive, explosive, and diverse modern romantic relationships are, from the eye of the artistic lens. Fling relationships will draw upon other elements, including the intellectual, spiritual, philosophical, and more."

When I applied I got to indicate what gender of a partner I preferred. :)

I got my notification this morning (or rather late last night, but I didn't check my email until this morning). I have been paired with a photographer named Shiloh Burton. I also had an email from Shiloh waiting for me. It's so exciting. I had a look at his web site, and it's full of his photography...but there are no pictures of him.

I'm at such a disadvantage. My web site is full of pictures of me, and I don't know what he looks like!

The opening will be on or around March 10. Shiloh and I have until then to have our Relationship. Maybe I should call him tonight. Or should I wait for him to call me? Should I go to Oakland to meet him? Or should he meet me in the City? I'm giddy as a teenager. :)

Let the art begin!!!

Monday, January 16, 2006

An evening with the Long String Instrument

Last night Paul and I went to Casaninja in Berkeley to hear a concert. It was the first in a series featuring the Long String Instrument. It was my first time hearing it. I had seen it before a couple of times, since it's been in residence at Casaninja.

The Long String Instrument was invented by composer Ellen Fullman, who also performs on it. The instrument takes up the whole length of the ground floor space at Casaninja. It has two sets of strings, 22 on one side and 20 on the other side (if I counted right). There is a space between the sets of strings for Ellen to walk while she plays the strings with her fingers. The strings are so long that an extension had to be built on Casaninja to hold the whole instrument.

The room is long and narrow so the two rows of audience seats were very close to the instrument. I was no more than a foot and a half away in my front row seat. There was a small stage behind the strings where trombonist Monique Buzzarte stood and improvised along with Ellen.

The Long String Instrument sounds like...a string quartet playing in close harmony and/or dissonance; a sitar; and an accordion recorded and played back in reverse. It's got a wide dynamic range from whispery to very loud. It gets so loud you would think it's amplified, but it isn't. All the sound comes from the wooden resonance chambers at one end of the instrument.

Monique Buzzarte, based in New York, was a sensitive improviser who contributed mournful long notes, low growls, and rushing air effects. The long, droning accompaniment could have been meditative but it didn't trance me out at all, since the sight of Ellen playing was so riveting. She plays with a slow burning relentless intensity.

I spoke to Monique after the concert and she said that she had seen the Long String Instrument played in another venue where it was nearly twice as long. She said in that concert she heard a lot more low frequencies than at Casaninja.

Here's a web site where you can learn more:
www.deepmedia.org/ellenfullman/

I enjoyed being back at Casaninja. It belongs to my friend Celeste and even when she's not around, you can still feel her energy.

Monday, January 02, 2006

Hitting the ground running in 2006

Happy New Year, everyone!

There's a lot on the calendar already for me in 2006, so I'm hard at work, not wasting a moment, preparing for all of it.

On March 11, I will be a member of the judges' panel for the Flock of Flutes competition which will take place in Walnut Creek, CA. Student flutists will be competing for cash prizes in two age divisions.

On March 16, I have my next live gig with the Company at the Luggage Store Gallery in San Francisco. There will be a mostly-new band lineup.

On April 22, I will give my performance art workshop at the Madison Flute Club's 3rd Annual Flute Fair. I'll also perform in the Gala Recital and sit on the judges' panel for their Young Artist Competition.

In June I'm planning to go back into the studio to finish up my fourth album, "Not Made of Stone". After it's done, I'll spend the rest of 2006 preparing it for release in early 2007.

Other things are in the pipeline, too, with regard to the flute quartet I wrote last year, "Remove Before Flight". The LA Flute Quartet is reading it, and I expect to hear a verdict from them by the end of this month about whether they'll perform it. Also, ALRY Publications is considering adding it to their catalog for 2007. I should hear something about that by the end of this month, also.