Today’s video premiere, “Ambient Chaconne II,” comes to us from violin-composer Pauline Kim Harris‘ latest album Heroine (Sono Luminus). Blending ambient and classical styles, Heroine includes two substantial, meditative works for violin and electronics collaboratively composed by Pauline and Spencer Topel.
Ambient Chaconne is a 42-minute immersive exploration of J.S. Bach’s “Chaconne” from the Partita in D minor. The video for “Ambient Chaconne II” features excepts from the full-length work paired with video animation by filmmaker/artist Eric Leiser.
Here’s what Pauline had to say about Ambient Chaconne:
In reimagining the Bach Chaconne, I searched for meaning and connection to the greater, mysterious universe. My collaborator Spencer Topel, and I created an expansive sonic experience. It is as close to stopping time as I can imagine.
Heroine is available for purchase, and you can catch Pauline on November 1-2, 2019 for The Stone Series at happylucky no. 1.
About Pauline Kim Harris
Pauline Kim Harris is youngest student to have ever been accepted into the studio of legendary violinist Jascha Heifetz, she has since appeared throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia as soloist, collaborator and music director. Currently known for her work with classical avant-punk violin duo String Noise with her husband, Conrad Harris of the FLUX Quartet, she has toured extensively with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, has been a long standing member of the SEM Ensemble and OstravskaBanda in the Czech Republic and has been a guest artist with leading new music ensembles such as Talea, ICE, Alarm Will Sound, Argento, TRANSIT, Object Collection, Glass Farm Ensemble, Ensemble LPR, Wordless Music and Ensemble Signal in New York City.
Committed to the idea that music is one continuous lineage of expression and demonstration of time, Pauline Kim Harris has been dismantling the norm of expectation of a typical classical violinist by performing in concerts presented in museums, churches, nightclubs, out of doors, rooftops, pop-ups to major stages with an openness to genre. As a composer, Harris searches for a tactile connection between memory and sound. Her music creates a multi-dimensional sonic matrix through composition, transporting the listener to an alternate co-existence. She introduces an environment that alters the listener’s emotional identity to what they are experiencing. Active in the experimental music scene, her work extends into interdisciplinary worlds, crossing boundaries and connecting visual art, electronics, media, film and dance to music. She has premiered and recorded works by Alvin Lucier, John Zorn, Philip Glass, Steve Reich, George Lewis, David Lang, Du Yun, Annie Gosfield and more. Pauline Kim Harris was the first Music Director for the Bill T. Jones/ Arnie Zane Dance Company and has been the featured artist for choreographers David Parker, Kora Radella and Pam Tanowitz. She moved to NYC at the age of 15 to study with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School and is currently a sought after mentor to dance and drama students through the Juilliard Mentoring Program.
About Spencer Topel
Spencer Topel is an artist and designer combining sound, installation and architecture. He was educated at The Juilliard School, Cornell University, and later joined the faculty at Dartmouth College as a professor of music. There he collaborated with installation artist Soo Sunny Park on several projects including Capturing Resonance for the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park. This intersectional effort led Topel to develop a body of work over the past ten years combining sound, architecture, and performance. Most recently, Topel was Artist-in-Residence at The Yale Quantum Institute, where he and his team developed the first-ever quantum musical synthesizer.
Notable collaborations continue with violinist Pauline Kim Harris, cellist Seth Parker Woods, FIGURA Ensemble (Copenhagen), and the Meitar Ensemble (Tel Aviv). Collaboration is a central part of Topel’s practice, which led to the formation of STUDIO TOPEL and Physical Synthesis Inc. in 2019. Notable partnerships include ongoing projects with architect Hana Kassem (KPF), The Yale Quantum Institute, PK Harris Duo, and Topel Woods.
