• Give everyone a synthesizer, and all shall be well on Earth.
• My exploration of the synth universe continues this month with Ekhodom, which KC Jukebox presents at the Kennedy Center’s new REACH campus. A project of Thievery Corporation’s Giamaria Conti and Eric Hilton, it’s a deep dive into the warm and beautiful world of analogue synthesis.
• This iconic instrument has played a leading cultural role for over half a century, from rock ’n roll to film scores. Less discussed is how “synthesizer symphonies” are descendants of the “organ symphonies” of Messiaen and other classical giants, a fascinating lineage.
• Without synthesizers, there would be no Beatles or Pink Floyd, Bladerunner or Stranger Things. What quality do these share? Psychedelia.
• Synthesizers allow us to slowly swirl a chord into filigree, or animate a baseline into twitchy pulsations, or blend the sounds of two disparate samples into one. That creates a kind of aural version of a paisley shirt or a kaleidoscope – a morphing color wheel that feels otherworldly. The effect is enhanced when using analogue synthesizers, which use actual soundwaves instead of the 1’s & 0’s of digital synths (vinyl feels richer than a CD for the same reason).
• Complementing Gianma and Eric’s synths was a string ensemble playing original arrangements written expressly for the occasion. Whenever I invite someone from outside the classical world to perform at the Kennedy Center, I make sure we throw a SWAT team of musicians at them. Strings are a great way to elevate an electronic soundworld, and creating new arrangements is a nice gear-shift from my normal zone of composing.
• This month also brings a ballet based on The B-Sides to Cal Performances, with stunning choreography from Joffrey Ballet’s Nicholas Blanc. He has a marvelous eye for geometrical compositions, arraying his dancers in a variety of imaginative shapes.
• Our collaboration began when New York City Ballet featured Mothership on their gala. Attending that event was one of the most exciting moments of my artistic life, since I’d spent so much time watching City Ballet as a Juilliard student. The Joffrey is one of the best companies in the country, and they are touring this work all over – so make sure you check them out if they come through your city.
• The rest of the month has me polishing sound design for Philharmonia Fantastique, premiering soon at the Chicago Symphony and San Francisco Symphony. Amidst the beats and sound effects, there’s a good bit of sound originating from, yes, my collection of analogue synthesizers.