(Official Call Email:)
“Hello hello hello
and
Thank you thank you thank you all
for your continued interest and performative participation of "Score For Islands". I think I have spoken personally to most of you, but I also wanted to make sure to write out any further context and also make room for any questions or concerns that anyone might have.
A quick summary of the piece: the core inspiration for this piece lies both within a desire to uncover serendipitous interrelated narratives just beyond the mind's reach and to compose, for a brief moment in time, an egalitarian composition in which all voices are heard. Ironically, what makes this piece so comedic is the unfolding "Cocktail Party Effect", an aural phenomenon in which a listener finds difficulty in distinguishing one sound source from another.
So, as all of you are reading a text of your choosing, your voices will mingle; forcing audience members to physically navigate the social wall of sound. The audience's movement will aide to the sociality of the piece as well. As the Cocktail Party Effect unfolds, performers and audience will mingle.
I'm including a loose score in this email. You may follow it to a tee or deviously deviate and make up your own rules. Just remember: everything you do will have an effect on the rest of the room.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions to myself or the group at large- I want to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and able to perform. And unless this makes anyone uncomfortable, I would dearly like to record the piece sonically. Additionally- please feel free to invite anyone along to read or simply listen- the more the merrier!
My phone number is ***-***-****. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns or suggestions for this piece.
And once again- Thank You for your interest in this piece- without you it quite literally would not be possible!
In thought and gratitude,
Ben”