<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI want to make stories through art music that reflect our current times, using sounds and visuals that connect with how we experience the world today. That means the human and the machine working together.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u2014 Maria Finkelmeier<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nListen to the episode on Apple Podcasts<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, Overcast<\/a>, iHeart<\/a>, PlayerFM<\/a>, Podchaser<\/a>, Boomplay<\/a>, Tune-In<\/a>, Podbean<\/a>, Google Podcasts<\/a>, Amazon Music<\/a>, or on your favorite podcast platform.<\/p>\n
Read the Show Notes<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n[0:01] Brady Walker: All right, today I have with me Maria Finkelmeier from MF Dynamics. Maria is a musician, technologist, and visual creator. Maria, could you give us a brief introduction?<\/p>\n
[0:30] Maria Finkelmeier: Sure, thanks for having me. I\u2019m Maria, a classically trained percussionist and composer turned new media artist and public artist. I\u2019m passionate about blending my performance and music composition with new technologies to create large-scale performance pieces in public spaces. Recently, I\u2019ve begun exploring what my digital art can look like and sound like.<\/p>\n
\nMerging Performance, Music, and New Technologies<\/h2>\n
[1:01] BW: Amazing. It was actually your music that first caught my attention, not your digital art. I didn\u2019t even know you were a visual artist at first. I found your name while researching for a different interview and saw your name as \u201cvibraphonist Maria Finkelmeier\u201d at Dade County Museum. As a vibraphone fan, I immediately listened to your two albums on Spotify and kept them on loop for weeks. We then connected on Twitter and I discovered you also create NFTs. I thought, well, that\u2019s funny.<\/p>\n
[1:55] MF: Absolutely, and I love it. Music is my bread and butter, but over the past two years, I\u2019ve begun to see my mallets and drumsticks as paintbrushes. I\u2019ve been working with a team to create code that translates musical movement into gestures. It\u2019s a new and exciting journey to call myself a visual artist or a digital artist. So thank you for diving in.<\/p>\n
\nFrom Classical Training to Technology and Art<\/h2>\n
[2:28] BW: It\u2019s interesting how you, as a musician, respond to the digital age differently than many others. While many are focusing on saturating platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Patreon with demos and such, you\u2019re using technology to enhance your live performance. Can you tell me about your relationship to technology as a composer and performer?<\/p>\n
[3:28] MF: That\u2019s a great question. I have a traditional education in percussion, playing in the back of the orchestra, and I did that for a long time. I love it. That experience gave me a strong work ethic and a sense of scale. An orchestra is 80 people on a stage, creating music all at once, which is emotionally empowering to the audience. In my mid-20s, I started questioning how my work was relevant. Who was I playing for? Where was I playing? These questions led me to explore electronics. I started with looping and using Ableton Live, recording and tweaking audio samples. I wondered how I could use today\u2019s tools with my classical training. This was my first relationship with technology.<\/p>\n
Being a novice was exciting. There were mistakes, like using the wrong cables and needing help. I think what attracted me to percussion in my early years was the idea that you can play anything. That\u2019s something I think entrepreneurs can relate to. We\u2019re always on the go, always curious.<\/p>\n
About ten years ago, I started exploring digital art, projection, and MIDI triggers. I was interested in how I could use tools from the entertainment industry in my live performances. I liked the idea of taking a lot of musicians and putting them in a public space, using a piece of architecture like Fenway Park as a musical instrument or a canvas. To accomplish this, I started learning about projection mapping and MIDI control. The goal was to make the scale emotionally resonate deeper with the audience.<\/p>\n
Most recently, I\u2019ve been asking, what is blockchain? What are NFTs? About a year ago, I started a project looking at motion capture technology. I\u2019m not an expert, but I\u2019m curious enough to ask questions and vulnerable enough to admit I don\u2019t know everything. I see technology as integral to making art. It\u2019s more powerful to me. I want to make stories through art music that reflect our current times, using sounds and visuals that connect with how we experience the world today. That means the human and the machine working together.<\/p>\n
\nFrom Musical Gestures to Visual Webs<\/h2>\n
[7:30] BW: Can you tell me more about the Melody Figments project? That\u2019s the NFT project, right?<\/p>\n
[7:37] MF: Yes, it is. The concept came to me about a year and a half ago. I\u2019ve worked a lot in the public art space and was fascinated by how movements could affect projections, like at the Museum of Science. I started thinking, what if a musician could be a visual painter? What if our gestures could articulate something beyond sound to an audience? I was interested in creating a new language of visualization that was associated with music.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m also a passionate improviser and appreciate that no two musical performances are the same. Even world-famous artists like Beyonce or Taylor Swift have performances that differ slightly each night. I wanted to capture those small differences in an abstract, artistic way.<\/p>\n
I connected with some technicians at Mad Labs in South Florida. They were excited to help develop this idea. They put me in a motion capture suit to gather data from my performance. It was initially a motion capture mallet, but we went the full route with the suit.<\/p>\n
Playing in a motion capture suit, which is like a wetsuit with little dots on it, was an interesting experience. I had to learn what all these data points looked like and what my body looked like performing things I don\u2019t consciously think of. I created sculptures with fabric and wires to visualize how I wanted the data to look. I wanted each musical gesture to be a line and for those lines to create webs over time. These webs became three-dimensional objects that represent a musical performance.<\/p>\n
We now have code in Unreal Engine that takes a musical gesture and creates these three-dimensional webs, which I call Melody Figments. It\u2019s been a wonderful journey. I perform the show live using a camera that captures my body and arm movements, which are projected as I perform. This approach brings the audience into the moment more deeply. We also render these performances as digital art pieces that we sell.<\/p>\n
\n[11:09] BW: So the live projection is actually a different input than the mocap suit is providing.<\/p>\n
[11:15] MF: Yes, the mocap suit was part of the research and development, and the first collection of NFTs I made were all created in that studio moment. However, I didn\u2019t want to wear a mocap suit live, and the whole room had many infrared cameras. We realized a single Kinect camera, connected to a Windows computer, could track my arm movements. Imagine me drumming, each movement creates a line, which then gets warped in a circular motion, like wind blowing through them. That\u2019s the data we needed. So, the live performance focuses on those data points. Through research, I found that the beauty and nuance weren\u2019t as much in how my feet were moving, but in the arm motions.<\/p>\n
\n[12:27] BW: Have you tried it with a duo?
[12:30] MF: I wasn\u2019t sure what you meant at first. I thought it might be a piece of tech. But yes, we can accommodate a duo. The code does get a bit confused with two bodies, but we can also use multiple Kinect cameras, each tracking a body. We can even create new code that could track multiple bodies. This is really just the tip of the iceberg. I want to explore multiple data points. I\u2019m also discussing with the MIT Immersion Lab about capturing bio data while I perform, like heart rate visualization during a performance. I\u2019m curious to see what other data points we can use to represent a moment more effectively. It\u2019s why I love having conversations about the project; people come up with new suggestions and ideas that push it forward.<\/p>\n
\n[13:45] BW: Why make the jump into NFTs?<\/p>\n
[13:49] MF: That\u2019s a good question. It comes from curiosity and maybe a little FOMO. As a creative person, I feel a responsibility to explore current trends. My brain works differently than a computer scientist\u2019s or someone in the financial sector, so I want to understand blockchain, the future of music and art sales, and the concept of ownership. I chose to explore these not just by reading, but by making my own collections and connecting with community members to create meaningful 21st-century art. The idea of music preservation, moment preservation, and blockchain\u2019s transaction permanence really excited me. The first piece I sold was on Codomain, a new marketplace for public artists, then I connected with Pharaoh File, and now with you. It\u2019s artistically interesting to me and feels very \u2018now\u2019. This community is exciting to learn from and be a part of.<\/p>\n
\nBeyond Solo<\/h2>\n
[15:47] BW: You started a multidisciplinary art firm called MFDynamics. What can you tell me about the firm, and why did you start it instead of working solo?<\/p>\n
[16:05] MF: I thrive on community, scale, and the challenge of the unknown. I could sense the energy of colleagues I knew and realized that to achieve my goals \u2013 turning stadiums or bridges into instruments, creating NFTs with motion capture \u2013 I can\u2019t do that alone. There\u2019s just not enough time, and I don\u2019t want to be an expert in everything. So, launching a creative studio allowed me to have a team to move the art forward. It\u2019s also given my collaborators a sense of support. We don\u2019t get lost in the details, and our creativity flourishes. As we all know, creating art, selling it as an NFT, or producing a massive public art piece involves logistics. Having a team that knows me and how I work has proven invaluable over the years, making things much more efficient.<\/p>\n
\n[17:58] BW: I\u2019m curious about the nuts and bolts of creating your company. How do you get things off the ground?<\/p>\n
[18:20] MF: There are two aspects here: how the company functions daily and how we get work. MF Dynamics operates as an LLC. I used to run a nonprofit, but I shut it down to be more nimble, to avoid red tape and bureaucracy. Now, we\u2019re more flexible. We have a studio manager and project manager, Jane, who\u2019s been with us a long time, and other members including Andrew, our technician, Denver, our production assistant, and Kate, our new communications intern.\u00a0<\/p>\n
We meet weekly to discuss what\u2019s in front of us. I lead fundraising and ideation, while Jane handles finances and production management. Andrew reports on technical matters, and Denver assists me with IT projects. Each project you see on our website involves different collaborators, with the studio supporting each person. For example, in one project, we investigated AI and gender bias. The studio takes a cut of project budgets to support insurance and space.<\/p>\n
Right now, I\u2019m in hustle mode, applying for commissions, doing requests for qualifications in the public art space. We approach developers or cities, apply to festivals, and reach out to potential partners. Each project has a different avenue of opportunity. For instance, our theatrical piece, Descended, is pitched to traditional presenters and institutions, while our AI and gender bias project is aimed at museums.<\/p>\n
\nRediscovering Lafcadio Hearn<\/h2>\n
[21:33] BW: Let\u2019s dive into Descended, a collaboration with Lafcadio Hearn. Can you tell us how that came about and share a little about Lafcadio Hearn? Although I\u2019m aware of him, I know he\u2019s not a household name in the States.<\/p>\n
[21:56] MF: I\u2019m glad you\u2019re aware of him! I wasn\u2019t until I was introduced to the project. Hearn\u2019s writing is deep, dark, and strangely inspiring. It provided the foundation for a musical work that allowed me to explore darker themes, which was a contrast to my typically positive and energetic persona. Lafcadio, a somewhat macabre writer from the 1850s to late 1800s, was Greek-born but spent time in the UK, New York, Cincinnati, New Orleans, and eventually Japan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019s most well known for bringing Japanese ghost stories into the English language. He was a controversial figure, married a black woman in Cincinnati, wrote Marie Laveau\u2019s obituary \u2014 the famous voodoo queen in New Orleans, and married a Japanese woman when he moved to Japan. He\u2019s one of the first writers to discuss Buddhism in English.<\/p>\n
Descended started when my then-acquaintance Jean Lorenz, who is a superb trumpet player and vocalist, wanted to create a performance project based on her great-great-grand uncle\u2019s work. We began in 2019, working with various composers, performers, and projectionists. Despite the pandemic, we persisted, leading to Jean commissioning me to compose all the music. She then secured a grant to produce an art film based on Hearn\u2019s work, created by Four10 Media.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an abstract and beautiful representation of transcending into death. We spent the pandemic making this film and an album. Now, we\u2019re preparing to bring it to the stage, with its premiere at the Smithsonian on September 24th. We\u2019ll perform the music live with beautiful visuals by an artist named Juan, acting and reciting Hearn\u2019s work. It\u2019s a darker piece, contrasting with the more vibrant, joyful segments I usually work on.<\/p>\n
\nMusic in the Mundane: Exploring Everyday Sounds<\/h2>\n
[26:04] BW: It\u2019s a balancing act, indeed. I\u2019ve seen the trailer for Descended and am excited for the full piece. Transitioning a bit, I\u2019d like to talk about your Improv a Day project. What did you learn from that experience, considering many digital artists in the web3 space also create daily?<\/p>\n
[26:33] MF: Great question. That project was foundational for me and started when Instagram first introduced video capabilities. It was during a creative dip for me, and doing these dailies was a consistent creative push. Every day I had to look at my world differently and with intention, seeking objects or sounds to create music. It turned ordinary outings into sound-seeking explorations, and there were days when I had to hustle to create something. This project taught me that consistent goal-setting is empowering; it forced me to create and share things I would typically obsess over before posting. It pushed me into a space of vulnerability, which I believe is vital for artists.<\/p>\n
\n[28:33] BW: Now that Instagram has expanded its video limit, you could create longer pieces.<\/p>\n
[28:38] MF: Absolutely!<\/p>\n
\n[28:41] BW: It reminds me of Hermeto Pascoal, one of my favorite jazz composers. There\u2019s a video where he and his band are in a river, improvising a percussion piece with the water and bottles, even using their bodies and a chair as instruments.<\/p>\n
[29:18] MF: That sounds fantastic. I\u2019ve probably seen something like it. If you have the link, I\u2019d love to see the exact piece you\u2019re talking about. We\u2019re surrounded by sound in this world, which often prompts me to ask, \u201cWhat is music?\u201d It\u2019s organized sound in some way, and finding that resonance is really fun and playful.<\/p>\n
\nTurning Fenway Park into a Percussion Instrument<\/h2>\n
[29:51] BW: Brian Eno has made a distinction about working within a medium versus working upon a medium. The former involves creating within the existing framework, such as playing or writing a song. The latter involves questioning the very nature of the medium, challenging what a song or a piece of visual art can be. Do you approach creativity in this way, looking for hidden sounds in plain sight? Do you have any mental tricks to keep your creative juices flowing?<\/p>\n
[31:05] MF: That\u2019s an insightful question. Eno\u2019s exploration of the ambient music genre, which he essentially invented, is fascinating. One of my main mantras is that no idea, song, or piece of art is too precious. Often in my work, the end product is vastly different from the initial concept, which sometimes leads to an internal struggle. I remind myself that no melody or rhythm is too sacred to be dismantled or built upon. This mindset has been particularly useful given my background as a classical musician, where there was a strong emphasis on the \u201cright\u201d and \u201cwrong\u201d way to play music.<\/p>\n
One of my projects, Wake the Monster, involved turning the backside of Fenway Park, with its hollow steel beams, into a percussion instrument. Initially, I had a completely different concept in mind, but when I tapped the beams and heard the resonance, I knew I had to rethink the entire project. I believe it\u2019s crucial to actively allow yourself to be open to inspiration, which can occur anywhere if you\u2019re receptive to your surroundings.<\/p>\n
\n[34:00] BW: I completely relate to what you\u2019re saying. A writing teacher once suggested that for at least a month each year, we should strive to come up with ten different story ideas every day. This practice may not need to be daily forever, as it could be exhausting, but it does prime the mind to constantly look for ideas. And he says It\u2019s best not to brainstorm all ideas in one sitting; instead, try to gather them throughout the day.<\/p>\n
[34:47] MF: That\u2019s a brilliant approach. As artists, we\u2019re supposed to live in the world and then interpret it in some way. You can\u2019t do that just by sitting at a desk; you need to live and allow for moments without constant stimulation. Currently, my main role is being a mom. While I have limited pockets of time, they still allow me to be fully engrossed in activities like playing with Legos, which provides opportunities for creative insights. Before I had kids, I used to work all the time, but now that I allow myself some time to live, I find my ideas are richer and more thoughtful because I have the time to think them through.<\/p>\n
\n[36:09] BW: Absolutely. I find playing with kids, not just random ones, but my two kids, nephews, nieces, and neighbors, really helps me enjoy the creative process more. They don\u2019t stress about the outcome, although my eight-year-old daughter does get frustrated when arranging a play with my five-year-old son and his friends. They don\u2019t seem concerned about creating the perfect scene.<\/p>\n
[36:53] MF: That\u2019s true. She\u2019s learning real-world lessons about the nature of collaboration.<\/p>\n
\nThe Arcs of Creativity<\/h2>\n
[37:04] BW: I admit, managing collaborators was never my strong suit. Given that you teach creative entrepreneurship at Berklee College of Music, what are your primary takeaways from teaching this course? Could you consolidate a semester\u2019s content into a TLDR?<\/p>\n
[37:28] MF: My main takeaway, as this is a new role for me, is excitement about how the next generation thinks about themselves, their colleagues, and their focus on self-care and supporting their peers. This gives me great hope for the future. The students are inquisitive and dedicated, which is inspiring. I teach two classes \u2013 a mindsets class that introduces entrepreneurship and explores the workings of our minds as creatives and entrepreneurs, and a brass-tacks class that covers business fundamentals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The courses address how we improvise in life and music, how we experiment, face failure, and shape our minds to approach situations creatively and in business terms. I like to keep things dynamic, encouraging students to consider business fundamentals creatively and approach creativity with structure and intention. These classes help them sift through their ideas and ambitions in what can be an overwhelming space for young musicians, entrepreneurs, and artists.<\/p>\n
\n[39:23] BW: An interesting question I often ask is whether there\u2019s a creative process to building a career. Does this process resemble the creative process in other aspects of your life?<\/p>\n
[39:53] MF: That\u2019s a fascinating question. I visualize a career\u2019s creative process as a large arc, encompassing smaller project-based arcs within it. The process of creating a career is nonlinear and messy, much like the process of creating a piece of music or a public art piece. Business strategists prefer clear-cut steps, but artists tend to diverge from the plan by the third step, veering into new processes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although it\u2019s important to have a direction or strategy, adhering strictly to a process checklist doesn\u2019t represent the creative process. For instance, my career began as a percussionist in a touring ensemble, and over time, I learned what I liked and didn\u2019t like, which prompted me to start a new process and direction. So yes, there is a creative process to a career, but it\u2019s chaotic. Success lies in striking a balance between a methodical approach and embracing the chaos.<\/p>\n
\nBetween Method and Mess<\/h2>\n
[42:53] BW: As a writer, my mind goes to process. One mantra I\u2019ve always kept is \u2018always be escalating\u2019. If a scene gets dull, move on to the next and add intensity or change it up. It seems like you\u2019re suggesting something similar, that one thing naturally leads to another, though it\u2019s not always predictable.<\/p>\n
[43:42] MF: Exactly. There have been instances in composing where a section I\u2019m working on suddenly becomes the end. I may have planned for the process to take me to a certain point, but it ends up taking me somewhere entirely different. One of my longest compositions, \u2018No, No,\u2019 is a prime example. I remember struggling with the realization that what was supposed to be the middle section was actually the end. It took leaving the studio for a week to accept it. It\u2019s about letting the process be messy and not conform to your initial vision.<\/p>\n
\n[44:35] BW: Perhaps that\u2019s what the creative process is \u2013 letting it be messy, allowing it to evolve as it wants to, unlike the business process which might be more about sticking to the plan.<\/p>\n
[44:52] MF: Exactly, the business process often follows a predictable formula like x plus y equals z. But in art, it\u2019s not always that simple. There\u2019s room to breathe, beyond strict boundaries.<\/p>\n
\n[45:13] BW: I\u2019m curious, and I\u2019m sure our listeners are too, how do you create opportunities for yourself? You\u2019ve had performances at Fenway Park and the Hatch Bandshell, and in Cincinnati, you transformed a bridge into an instrument. These are major opportunities. How do you begin that process?<\/p>\n
[45:48] MF: Each opportunity has its own story and it\u2019s often messy. Each project you mentioned came from a connection somewhere in my network. Fenway Park, for example, was a series of connections made at an arts brunch in Boston. The bridge was a connection through a family friend who ran the festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s about sharing your work and understanding that people are behind every major work. People make decisions, they need to be convinced of ideas, or they have visions themselves. The bridge project was a collaborative endeavor between myself, a few other artists, and the Brave Berlin group based in Cincinnati. The Hatch Shell was an organization I had worked with before, and they wanted a celebratory piece.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You just have to put your work and yourself out there. You have to understand what these organizations or festivals need and see how your skill set can meet those needs. Many of these projects are competitive, and for every project in my portfolio, there are many rejections. But it\u2019s important to remember that opportunities come from people and making the right connections at the right time is crucial.<\/p>\n
\nKeys to Successful Collaboration<\/h2>\n
[49:40] BW: That raises another question. What makes a good collaborator? What do you look for and what red flags do you avoid?<\/p>\n
[50:06] MF: Absolutely, that\u2019s an important aspect. Collaboration is tricky, yet essential for me. I thrive in collaboration because it challenges me and I believe my art is better when it\u2019s created with others. Early on in my career, I\u2019ve encountered some disrespectful behaviors that hindered my creativity. So, I look for collaborators who will allow me to be loud, to make mistakes, and to experiment in a vulnerable, slightly messy space. It\u2019s about finding people who can handle that space.<\/p>\n
One of my collaborators, Allison Tanenhaus, is a glitch artist. We sample videos and sounds from a neighborhood and create the frequency of that neighborhood through glitching sound and video. It\u2019s not just about the art; it\u2019s about respecting each other\u2019s personal lives and being able to lean on each other. The art is better when it stems from an authentic interpersonal space.<\/p>\n
\n[52:51] BW: That\u2019s insightful. I\u2019m entering into several collaborations now, so this is useful for me.<\/p>\n
[53:01] MF: I suggest discussing what might go wrong from the start. In the past, the collaborations that didn\u2019t go well were those where we glossed over potential issues. Discussing problems like budget overruns or personal issues upfront is actually relieving. We\u2019ve never had to use our contingency plans, but having them provides comfort, especially in art where we\u2019re deeply connected to the things we make. It\u2019s a strategy I\u2019ve found useful more recently in my mature creative career.<\/p>\n
\n[54:14] BW: I should probably discuss potential problems with my collaborators, just as you suggested. Speaking of creativity, I recently read an interesting article, albeit a few months old, by music critic Ted Gioia. It was about Jimmy Giuffre, one of my favorite jazz composers known for his unusual ensembles, like a combination of a trombone, drum, and saxophone, or ensembles without a drum or bass, which was quite uncommon in the 50s and 60s. Yet, the sound he produced was amazing. In an interview, when Gioia asked him about his musical intent, Giuffre said he simply collaborated with those he got along with.<\/p>\n
[55:20] MF: I completely understand that. I\u2019ve been in situations where the choice of instruments was influenced more by personal liking than musical requirement. As an audience, you might not consciously realize it, but the stage chemistry definitely enriches your experience.<\/p>\n
\n[55:59] BW: Normally, I\u2019d wrap up with this question, but I have a few more afterwards. What\u2019s something you\u2019ve learned recently about creativity, the creative process, or managing a creative career that you wish you could tell yourself five years ago?<\/p>\n
[56:40] MF: That\u2019s an excellent question. What\u2019s a recent insight I wish I could have told myself five years ago, which, after all, isn\u2019t that long ago?<\/p>\n
\n[56:53] BW: I\u2019m looking for something fresh on the brain.<\/p>\n
[56:55] MF: I get it. I\u2019ve been immersing myself in learning new technology lately, like motion capture, Unreal Engine, and trying to comprehend the concepts of Web 3.0. Despite not being an expert, I find the learning process powerful. But in recent months, I\u2019ve been trying to reconnect with what excites me and reminds me of my skills. I\u2019ve been so engrossed in coding and dealing with frustrations when things don\u2019t go right, that I\u2019ve somewhat lost sight of my talents, like playing the marimba or drums. If I could go back five years, I wouldn\u2019t change the decisions I\u2019ve made or the projects I\u2019ve undertaken. But I would remind myself not to overlook my skills and talents in the overwhelming newness. So, my recent learning is to remain proud of my achievements and not let the excitement of learning new things diminish that pride.<\/p>\n
\n[59:03] BW: That\u2019s a very valuable lesson. I could use that reminder as well. Now, onto my next question, which is more of a personal curiosity. What are you currently listening to?<\/p>\n
[59:24] MF: Interesting question. As a mother, I\u2019ve been listening to a lot of toddler tunes lately. But in my personal time, I have a perpetual love affair with Caroline Shaw\u2019s music. I\u2019m fortunate to have connected with her and presented her work in the past. It\u2019s exciting to see such a talented, young composer flourish. Her music, rhythmic, tonal, moving, and emotional, resonates with the contemporary listener, yet carries profound thoughtfulness in its forms and melodies. She strikes the perfect balance between pushing boundaries and keeping the listener comfortable. I often play her \u201cPartita for 8 Voices\u201d for my kids.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s such a wonderful piece to have playing in our house. You might be doing something else, like cooking dinner, and suddenly you\u2019re captured by a particular moment in the music.<\/p>\n
\n[1:01:25] BW: Totally. I just made a playlist for a couple of upcoming family road trips. I want to expose my kid to as many different types of music as possible, and the first section of \u201cPartita for 8 Voices\u201d is on there. It\u2019s entertaining \u2014 all those shifts.<\/p>\n
[1:01:55] MF: Absolutely, it\u2019s brilliant. I\u2019ve used it in my classes at Berklee College when we discuss experimentation in my mindset course. Even though it might not initially strike the ear as experimental, the way Caroline Shaw uses voice and various techniques is indeed a form of experimentation. It\u2019s pleasing yet forward-thinking, and that combination sparks excitement both for me and my students.<\/p>\n
\n[1:02:33] BW: I love listening to that piece. When I first heard it, it struck me as somewhat similar to a Philip Glass piece, like how the vocalists perform. But then it\u2019s way more polyphonic and when all those close harmonies come in, game over. It\u2019s amazing.<\/p>\n
[1:02:55] MF: Have you ever seen Roomful of Teeth perform live? Their performances are extremely powerful. The first concert I took my now husband to was one of theirs, and he was utterly taken aback by it, just as I was. They excel at incorporating various traditions of vocal practice into a unified performance, and experiencing it live is incredibly captivating.<\/p>\n
\n[1:03:31] BW: What\u2019s next for MF Dynamics? I understand you\u2019re not currently working on a commissioned project.<\/p>\n
[1:03:44] MF: Well, after saying that, I remembered I have a show in about two and a half weeks. It felt like I had a whole month, a month dedicated to family. But then I remembered I have to prepare for a show on August 5. I\u2019m traveling up to Portland, Maine. There\u2019s this great organization, Chroma two four, they\u2019re partnering with Transform It, a fabric structure company, to create a pop-up immersive art experience. I\u2019ll perform with my Melody Figments on Rumba while they project onto beautiful forms created by Cindy Thompson of Transform It. People will also have the chance to interact with the installation, playing instruments, and their movements will be transformed into Melody Figment webs. The installation is called \u2018Encounters\u2019 and it\u2019s up for the whole month of August. Additionally, I\u2019ll be performing an opera composed by Tod Machover, head of the MIT Media Lab, by the end of next month. Furthermore, I\u2019m working on a large-scale, immersive outdoor symphony about adoption. This will draw inspiration from my personal experiences as an adoptee. This piece will hopefully premiere next spring, assuming everything goes according to plan. On top of that, we\u2019re touring with Descended, which will be performed at the Smithsonian in September. And I\u2019m also planning a tour for Melody Figments. So yes, there\u2019s a lot happening despite it being July and me spending a lot of time at the pool with my kids.<\/p>\n
\nListen to the episode on Apple Podcasts<\/a>, Spotify<\/a>, Overcast<\/a>, iHeart<\/a>, PlayerFM<\/a>, Podchaser<\/a>, Boomplay<\/a>, Tune-In<\/a>, Podbean<\/a>, Google Podcasts<\/a>, Amazon Music<\/a>, or on your favorite podcast platform.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n