Sound Project

I thought a lot about my sound project and what I wanted it to be, what I wanted it to reflect. It didn't take much rumination, but I wanted to consider how I could reflect myself and my research in it. My research  began as a more scientific, anatomical study of dancing (one to reflect the studies I'm currently working on in my ballet training) but as I developed my sound more, I realized that the science part could truly just be the sound itself–allowing me to give into the artistic aspect of this project more. The song you heard (No Hard Feelings, by The Avett Brothers) is one that really resonates deeply with me for multiple reasons. Obviously the tone it sets is captivating, and the lyrics as well, but it was really the mood that made me select it for part of my sound project. The mood I wanted my media to reflect was one of nostalgia and a story of dance. There's a hint of clouded exhaustion, I think, and there's also a warm, 'home' sort of feeling that I feel when I hear my audio. Of course to somebody who hasn't ever stepped foot in a dance studio or have an emotional connection to this music, these sound bites could truly mean nothing and have not a single mental image to paint from them. I think that's what made these so obvious to choose as my recordings, because of how symbolic that specific concept is. To some, hopefully, my piece holds many feelings close; as well as reflecting how dancing can feel in its complicated and non-dual entirety. Those who don't wholly understand the connection this piece has to dancers still have opportunities to resonate with it. I think, in its own way, the piece can reflect a life in the arts (as I clearly am drawn to representing on these projects). To me, it begins with a sort of groggy and tired mood supported by the song, and as the ballet class I recorded draws on, the ambience escalates and intensifies to a point that it (hopefully) becomes overwhelming to the recipient. At the final point of the intensity, it stops and fades into an adagio played by our pianist for the day. For me, an adagio is the most meaningful point of a class. The music channels an almost-visceral reaction from me and the movement occurs in conjuncture with it so well. Since there are other classes going on, the final piece of the puzzle is the still-constant sound of distant other pianos playing opposing pieces–symbolic in its own right, although I think that's the most subjective part of the piece for the listeners. There's a lot of places of symbolism that are subject to the recipient's opinion, just like art is meant to be, and that's my favorite part of this piece.