Water Music was an improvised sound performance that involved real-time digital manipulation of site-specific sounds and the layering and processing of prerecorded sounds. A microphone was placed on a water fountain in a public plaza, where the textural sounds of the water were sent through an array of effects processors. The water textures were transformed into harmonically rich rhythms and chords, and were combined with a variety of complementary sounds constructed ahead of time. These prerecorded sounds were played back on CDs and digital sequencers, mixed with the sound generated from the fountain, and fed back into the public plaza through multiple loudspeakers spread throughout the space. The composite effect was a slowly evolving soundscape that enveloped listeners as they walked through the public space. The piece created a kind of sonic architecture that connected interior and exterior spaces, and sensitized listeners to the aural environment around them.
Performed at Institute of Visual Art, Milwaukee, WI (2001)
To listen to an excerpt, click here.
