omega dae proposal

8/12/2019 Omega DAE Proposal

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Suzanne Kite

School of MusicBFA-4, Composition

[email protected]

Title

(omega)

Proposal

Present Kites Omega as a combined NWF and Digital Arts Expo show, possibly

in a larger set of other music/tech performances by Digital Arts Expo .

Location

ROD or Co"eehouse Theater, depending on availability for Thursday, May 8.

Date

May 8, 2014

Time

9pm - 3am

Presenters

New Works Festival / Digital Arts Expo

Lineup

live electronic sets including Kites Omega

Type of Work

Performance; including dance, digital art, film, music composition, performanceart


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Participants

Project Synopsis

Omega is an hour long exploration of that which cannot be accessed, andtherefore cannot be sorted in our perception.

The human mind insists on categorizing, filing, and othering in order to make

sense of reality. This piece seeks to identify perceptual boundaries through theuse di"erent methods of counting, utilizing physical, visual, and auditory

phenomenon. The moment the brain forgets that counting has been occurring,

the moment where perception breaks from conscious categorization, is the

door to the inaccessible. By exposing these limits in perception, every realm of

categorization can be exposed, especially that which involves human

interactions.

My piece is an hour long set with 8 self-contained pieces that interact with

each other.

1. While wearing an iPhone that is networked with Max for Live & Ableton Live, I will

use the gyrOSC application and Max patch developed by Eric Singleton to control

sound and video just by placing rocks in continuous circles on the floor. As I reach 80

rocks, the 80 pitch frequencies will reach stability and create the phenomenon of


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hearing white noise, a perceptual phenomenon where one feels they can hear every

pitch possible at once, at an equal volume. Thus, the brain tips over into infinity.

2. The second piece will begin with single impulses of sound, and slowly expand into

tones and textures. Each stage of sonic development will be animated and projected

onto the scrim mounted in the space. This form of counting will take the audience

through a sonic/visual tour of 1 dimensional space, all the way to theoretical 6D space,through the use of theoretical shapes. Surround sound will be use to create the

sonification of these dimensions.

3. Videos of hands counting will be projected and count the audience through the

rising tones, hinting at the tritone paradox, a phenomenon where the brain cannot

distinguish between higher and lower tones. The Shepherds Scale, an auditory

phenomenon that creates an endlessly rising sound, will emerge, so the brain is

tricked into thinking the sound never reaches any point, but continuously rises into

infinity. This will be controlled with a midi controller which will send OSC messages to

Ableton, and the visual program Resolume, at the same time. These phenomenon will

be layered and re-organized with real instruments live, tying into the layering of the

video simultaneously.

4. The fourth piece is an attempt to recreate the theory of Speed Up proposed by

philosopher and mathematician Rudy Rucker inInfinity and the Mind. Animation will

coincide with the auditory phenomenon, where evenly spaced impulses will be sped

up until the rate of impulses turns into a pitch. These pitches will exist and mix at


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di"erent levels of acceleration, creating rhythmic content, and in turn be held out at

di"erent intervals, creating harmonic content.

5. The fifth section exposes how constructs of the mind reach beyond counting, such

as the limits of body, self, voice, and identity. Taking a riddle called Woman fromInfinity and the Mindand shape it into a piece dealing with violence against the self and

violence against women, the ultimate Other in many societies. I will use voice andnoise to sonically induce the chaos of existing within constructs. I will be working with

MFA film maker Sofia Canales and film maker Joel Reeves to create video clips that will

be triggered live with OSC.

6. The sixth piece uses a mathematical model of an infinity system, a Lindenmeyer

system, to show how infinite systems are used to grow plants in nature. This system

will be used to digitally grow a plant. Sonically, its growth will be followed by live and

recorded instruments. Finally, multiple plants will bloom into life, diverging from the

system.


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7. The seventh section will take all previous sections that have been created and use

each sonic palate to create and deconstruct a sonic and visual universe. Each

previous part can be presented as a separate instrument in this piece.

8. The final piece will deal with the string paradox: Every string which has one end

also has another end; a paradox because of the possibility of infinite systems. Using a

more traditional electronic music style, the set will conclude by presenting a

performance with three dancers where the projections will follow and trace the

dancers bodies. They will use a 100 foot veil as a prop, finding no beginning, no end,

and never being able to reach the other side, or each other.

This piece includes the use of new technologies developed at CalArts and by people

closely tied to CalArts as well as common programs being pushed to their

experimental limits. Programs such as GyrOSC, Processing, Resolume, Microsoft

Kinect, Max for Live, and SuperCollider will be used to bring projection mapping, body

mapping, and sound from the body into auditory and visual space. Through these

programs the body can be used as a controller of electronic instruments.


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Technical Requirements

Scenic: See attached diagram

Set consists of a 5x5x5 ft shell where a table is enclosed, with all the

equipment inside.

Scrim and rope are hung from the ceiling, resembling the infinite curves

on omega graph.

Costume: See attached diagram

1 costume for the music performer, and 2 costumes for the dancers

Lighting:

Lighting will all come from 2 projectors.

Sound:

Sound & related equipment will, preferably, be provided by the musicschool.

Budget: See attached


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costume

dancers

kite

needed:1 kite costume

2 dancer costumes

-light, semi- opaque fabric

-hemline reaches to just past the knees

-extra long sleeves

-seams should have stretch for dancing

- highly structured geometric top pencilskirt

- use of sheer fabric- skirt should start from above waist- must allow wearer to kneel and reach- optional semi-structured vest

omega dae proposal

Documents