We’re surrounded by sound, art and movement, which feed
through every aspect of our world. From media to architecture, advertisement to
passing car radios, we’re engulfed in a multitude of sounds and images that either
plague or delight our senses. From buskers to classical music, pavement art to
fine ‘gallery’ art – the range is broad and getting broader every day.
Although I’m profoundly deaf I also experience the same range
of sounds as a person with unimpaired hearing, not to mention the sights,
smells and other sensations, too. The difference for me is that I won’t hear in
the same way as most people, so my perception of the overall experience will be
different. Most of us have preferences for a particular type of music or style
of art and the way we perceive those arts is different for each and every one
of us.
I, too, have a sense of what I like and dislike. Through my
music I’ve tried to break down barriers by pushing boundaries, bringing
percussion out of the shadows and pushing my own limits as a sound
creator. I’m passionate about music that
allows me to continue pursuing this goal. Along the way I’ve learned to open up
my body to a new kind of listening, which has made for some truly exciting performance
experiences.
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| Maria Rud |
I was thrilled when the opportunity arose to collaborate
with dynamic Russian Artist
Maria Rud.
Maria, like me, is keen to push her own boundaries through a highly distinctive
artistic style and to find unique ways for audiences to experience and engage
with her work. I feel an artistic kinship with Maria – being able to work
closely with her is an absolute joy.
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| Maria and I at the NMS |
Collaboration can be a challenge, particularly between different
sectors of the arts. However, sometimes artists seem naturally to come together
when a particular dynamism or unifying force emerges between them. This was
definitely the case with Maria and myself. We met in 2011 and the creative
juices began to flow straight away. Although we quickly sparked each other’s
interests it wasn’t immediately obvious how our union would pan-out. Maria enjoys
working with the spiritual responses she ‘feels’ from music and I like to work
to the vibration and feeling of sound. This connection soon developed into
something we could share through a project called
AniMotion – an exciting combination of live painting, live music
and now dramatic architecture.
Our first opportunity to perform together came at the
National Museum of Scotland surrounded by an incredible array of historical artefacts
displayed in the
Grand Gallery. We almost
became exhibits in our own right! Our AniMotion premiere definitely cemented
our relationship! And it wasn’t just Maria and I that found it special. The
audience, which included
Vladimir Tolstoy, was treated to a spectacle in which music and art united in a way simply
not experienced before. On that occasion Maria’s images – painted on a light
box – were projected onto a large screen while myself and cellist
Philip Sheppard performed. We played to
her brushstrokes and she, in turn, painted to our music. The experience was
amazing and the audience were completely absorbed and delighted with the
performance.
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| AniMotion at St Giles |
AniMotion continues to evolve and grow into new dimensions.
Now we are bringing some of the country’s grandest architecture into the mix. Our
most recent venture was at
St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh where the imagery was projected onto the dramatic
canvas of the building itself. The cathedral came to life; its stonework danced
with each brushstroke and its acoustic sang with musical sounds – literally when
it came to the contributions of vocalists
Fay Fife and
Rebecca Tavener! It was
lovely to work again with
Dave Heath,
whose music I’ve recorded.
DJ Dolphin Boy brought an electronic (and electrifying!) edge to the experience, too.
Our audiences have come to expect the unexpected, to be
simultaneously astounded and satiated by an unforgettable and holistic feast for
the senses. If you haven’t yet seen an AniMotion show you're missing out on one of the finest artistic experiences around today – something I'm immensely proud to be able to say and equally proud to be a part of. I wholly recommend keeping
an eye on my tour diary and booking tickets for the next event... there are some
exciting projects on the horizon!
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| Two Happy Collaborators! |
