David Mandl on Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:02:43 +0200 (CEST)


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<nettime-ann> [event] [boston] Musicians and non-musicians wanted, Oct. 22 '05: "The Cacophony of Life, "


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MUSICIANS AND NON-MUSICIANS WANTED
"The Cacophony of Life"
At Art Interactive, Oct. 22, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Produced and conducted by Dave Mandl

"The Cacophony of Life" will be a live performance taking place at Art
Interactive as part of the "Glowlab: Open Lab" exhibition, on Oct. 22
from 4:00-6:00 p.m.  "Cacophony" is a musical performance based on the
early computer game The Game of Life, a simple model of a living
colony, with cells being "born" or "dying" based on the pattern of
cells surrounding them.  In this performance, musicians (or
non-musicians) either play their instruments or rest based on the same
rules, creating a semi-random sound performance.  (This is much easier
than it sounds.  See below for details of how it works.)

Musicians and non-musicians are invited to participate in this
performance.  Please consider coming down and being a part of it, and
please help spread the word to others.

RSVP not necessary, but greatly appreciated: Email Dave Mandl at
davem@wfmu.org.

An audio recording of the performance will be made for airing later in
the exhibition.

***

HOW IT WORKS:

The performers will be arranged in a grid (5x5, 6x6, etc., depending
on how many there are).  We will start with a random pattern of people
playing their instruments, until the conductor signals everyone to
move to the next cycle (after about ten seconds).  When a new cycle
starts, each musician decides whether to play or not based on how many
people around him/her are playing.  If more than three people adjacent
to you are playing during one cycle, you rest when the next cycle
starts.  If two people adjacent to you are playing during one cycle,
you play when the next cycle starts.  This will create a shifting
pattern of instruments.  Each cycle will last about ten seconds.  A
whole piece of music will last a minute or two, and then we'll start a
new piece with a new starting pattern.

For some visual examples of how the original Game of Life works, see
this site:

http://www.bitstorm.org/gameoflife/

(Where a cell is "on" in the game, picture a musician playing a note.)


WHAT KIND OF INSTRUMENT TO BRING:

Just about any noisemaker is welcome: saxophone, kazoo, pots and pans,
violin, electric guitar (with portable amp), small drum, hand bells,
harmonica.  Avoid instruments that are very quiet, because they may be
drowned out.  Your voice is an acceptable instrument.


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