The Sonic Frontiers concert series, sponsored by New College and Creative Campus, is kicking off its second season of avant-garde performances with a concert by Chicago-based trio Vox Arcana, Friday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Moody Music Building.
The trio is comprised of leader and percussionist Tim Daisy, clarinetist James Falzone and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, who also plays electronic instruments. Vox Arcana’s experimental sound comes from the combination of the compositional structure of modern classical music and the trio’s more flexible improvisational format. The freedom of Vox Arcana’s improvisational format leaves a lot of room for change in the group’s music. Though the compositions remain the same, performances differ from night to night.
“I’m looking forward to how the music is going to change,” Daisy said. “A lot of it’s composed, but there’s also a lot of room for improvisation, and the compositions change a lot night after night, and that’s something I’m very interested in.”
Vox Arcana uses a variety of instruments and styles to create various experimental textures. Daisy will augment his drum set with kick pans, bells and other sound-making materials, while Lonberg-Holm will create textures of sound with electronic distortion and amplification.
“You’re going to see us up there working on our music which deals with a lot of composed material with a lot of room for improvisation,” Daisy said. “You’ll see us working through our material, hopefully playing it well and having a big time.”
Daisy said playing in an academic setting rather than a club or other venue makes the concert much more open to audience interaction and conversations about the music. The band is happy to discuss their music and show scores after their performance to anyone who is interested.
“I usually get a lot more questions from the audience in a more academic setting,” Daisy said. “I usually meet a lot more people wanting to talk and analyze [the music] a little more. I’m really looking forward to that.”
Sonic Frontiers’ 2012-2013 season has grown in more ways than one. This season will span both semesters, include more performances and try to integrate more of the Tuscaloosa area by expanding to off-campus events. The series is also expanding globally, bringing in artists from as far away as the Czech Republic and Germany.
Though Sonic Frontiers brings new ideas to campus, it is by no means a one-way cultural exchange. Giving visiting artists a chance to engage with local culture creates a reciprocal circulation of ideas.
“The whole idea is to get ideas circulating,” said Andrew Dewar, assistant professor of New College and the School of Music and assistant director of Creative Campus. “By having global artists and national artists, not only do people here get to interact with a different culture and set of ideas and musical sounds, but the visiting musicians are interacting with what’s happening here.”
