Dr. Maurice Wright and Ms. Sandra James were kind enough to share some of their thoughts on their new piece Shhh…, which will be presented at Paley Library on Wednesday, February 10th. This duo are no strangers to collaboration – their past projects have included GALATEA_RESET, a retelling of the myth of Acis and Galatea featuring both human and robot performers.

The secret word for the piece, according to Dr. Wright, is “resonance.” Rather than a concert work, which assumes a listener’s attention from beginning to end, Shhh… is an installation that takes advantage of the acoustics of the space where it is presented. To that end, he and Ms. James, who has a background in not only technology and music but also visual arts, customized speakers by attaching various resonant materials such as cardboard and plastic tubes.

No two people will hear the work the same way – the electronic piece is partially randomized and will cycle every hour. Additionally, microphones will receive input from the environment to affect what sounds emerge, making any presentation of the piece truly unique.

I would like to thank Dr. Maurice Wright and Ms. Sandra James for their insights about the piece. Don’t miss Shhh… appearing at Paley Library!

Robert Pegg is a graduate assistant and doctoral candidate in the Boyer College of Music and Dance, studying with Dr. Maurice Wright.