Friday, October 14, 2005

Down Beat: a statement of purpose

Welcome all Mechanics, friends, and casual browsers to the on-line open journal of the Temporal Mechanics Union. TMU is a percussion ensemble that combines the rhythmic traditions of many cultures with bold experimentation in new music. The ensemble is community-based, welcoming all comers regardless of experience. TMU is resident at Cowley College.

This journal is a place for TMU members to express themselves, work out new ideas, comment upon the musical experience, and share insights. All Mechanics can post to this blog, as can our friends and collaborators. We welcome any comments from the public.

Many of the entries will focus on MIGRATIONS, our current project, in collaboration with composer Todd Harper and soloist Garrett Ward. This venue will give eveyone involved a way to carry on the work between rehearsals, relate their experiences, and expand the concept of the piece. It will also give the public an on-going inside view into the process and experience of bringing music to life, and life to music.

4 comments:

dejavaboom said...

Greetings and great job on launching our blog! Today I'm hoping to migrate to a drum circle event I read of in the Eagle. Wish we could have mustered up a TMU/Cowely van to crash their party. They want 100 drums.

On another note, Migrations can reflect movement through life; we're doing characters...without getting too campy, maybe we should be expecting each other to be IN character, that is, acting through body movement as well as dress. Maybe we need an acting coach(?)

Niall Mac a'Ghobhainn said...

While I very much like the drum-dance connection, and wish we would do more of it, I don't think this is piece for it. If we were to go that far, I'd say bring on actors or dancers.

Let's not get too out of proportion on the characterizations; think a minamalist or impressionistic approach. The music is the thing, let's put most of our energies to that.

How was "Drum Nation?"

Chansi said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Chansi said...

Loving the blog. I hope to see some more active participation from fellow mechanics. Mechanics Unite!!
Regarding Migrations, I have been
trying to come up with a characterization. If we've all migrated, then couldn't we just be an exaggerated version of ourselves? Perhaps that would be too lethargic of an approach. I'd hate to ignore the necessary technicalities. I'm just trying to come up with a way that I can demonstrate my personal migration with costume. Either that, or I'll seperate myself from the piece and express the nomadic tendencies of someone totally different. Maybe I'll be a gypsy.

Anybody have any ideas?

How about our solos? What is everyone doing? I'm considering doing a poem to the drums. I'm going to try to use it as an opportunity to express the internal to the audience. I'm hesitant because I don't want to A.) piss anyone off B.) have to edit my thoughts to please, C.) Be misunderstood.
Who is dejavaboom? I should have been more original with my posting name, damn it.