New Blog

Becoming...Everything Else is a new blog written by composer Michael Boyd. Mike began the piece in 2004 during a composition seminar that we were both taking at the time. He had begun working in a highly improvisational style that requires/allows performers to take an active role in the compositional realization of the finished performance. Becoming...Everything Else is an attempt by Mike to rectify his interest in this style with an effort to incorporate a public art element. I was fortunate to have participated in two different performances of this interesting work, one in College Park, MD and the other in Catonsville, MD.

On the blog you'll see examples of the graphical notation that each performer must interpret, relaying the "essence" of each card. One of the most appealing aspects of Mike's work is that it is highly visually suggestive, and sometimes even required. For example, in another work, "Bit of Nostalgia...", Mike requires the performer to set up a grid with a limited number of sound-producing stations within. The performer then moves about the space, and is encouraged to use visual elements to assist in the portrayal of the essence of the page of score. In my own performance I found myself choosing events that had both a visual and sonic element or adding a visual element to the sonic performance. In the end, I find this music both fun to participate in as well as listen to - the creativity that Mike is able to coax out of the performers is always amazing.

The blog is new - so far containing only one post - but Mike plans on keeping it updated as this piece is performed over the next month in the Washington DC area. Check it out!

http://becomingeverythingelse.blogspot.com/