performance/installation

Plainsong

November and December 2020

Performance Saturday, November 7, 10am
with Doreen Girard on flute, Erica McFadden vocals, Darren Miller on accordion, Lyin Mya on saxophone, respectfulchild on omnichord, Cassandra Stinn on flute
Livestream production by The Get Up SK

 Curated by Tarin Dehod 

Plainsong is a large format outdoor score displayed on the front of a building, presenting musical staves and noteheads of various sizes. While producing long-sustaining tones on any instrument, musicians move to discrete (near or distanced) positions in order to navigate through the score. Plainsong does not have clear beginnings or endings; a performance of tones appearing as a slow-paced interruption in the day.

On November 7, at 10am musicians will perform Plainsong on the street facing AKA artist-run. To witness the performance join us in person on 20th Street between Avenue D and Avenue E, or watch on livestream

Due to Covid-19 restrictions the in-person performance is limited to 30 people for social distancing, to ensure your attendance arrive at 9:45am. Masks are encouraged when social distancing isn’t possible.


PerformanceInstructions

– For many musicians with sustaining instruments.
– Each musician begins the piece by positioning themselves in a spot to read any triangular notehead on the score. This may require them to be far or near the score.
– Perform the pitch (using any clef suitable for the instrument: treble, bass, alto, etc) and hold the tone.
– The three points of the triangular notehead point to potential next notes to be played. While still holding the tone, move to a new location to comfortably view the next notehead and its staff, then play the new note.
– Movement between new locations should allow for distance from other players. One may wait before choosing and moving to a new note to achieve this.
– The piece should last for a long time. The performers may decide upon a duration and how to conclude the piece. In the event that a performer cannot move to a new position, or has felt that they have played every notehead in the piece, they may end their playing and stand until the piece is over.

 
 

Raven Chacon

 A composer, performer and sound artist from Fort Defiance, Navajo Nation. As a solo artist or as a previous member of Postcommodity, Chacon has exhibited or performed at Whitney Biennial, documenta 14, The Renaissance Society, Musée d’art Contemporain de Montréal, San Francisco Electronic Music Festival, Ende Tymes Festival, Sydney Biennial, International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and The Kennedy Center. He is the recipient of the United States Artists fellowship in Music, The Creative Capital award in Visual Arts, The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation artist fellowship, and the American Academy’s Berlin Prize for Music Composition. He lives in Albuquerque, NM.