TIMARA tradition matures with age

The TIMARA concert given Wednesday in Warner Concert Hall was everything a TIMARA concert is conceptually supposed to be ... and more. The concert, featuring works by ten TIMARA students, provided a full hour of music and video that catered to all tastes. Most of the pieces were created for audiotape, computer sequencing and the occasional acoustic instruments, but each was a unique union of computer technology and extraordinary musical talent and imagination.

The concert opened with a piece for eight-channel audiotape by first-year Jon Brooks entitled Primordial Progress. The title was fitting, as it took the listener on a journey through electronically manufactured audio swamps buzzing with insects, awash with bubbling streams and echoing with eerie, subversive laughter.

The next piece, by conservatory junior Jeremy Dalnes, entitled Dialogue for Cello & Max was one of the few that actually featured an acoustic instrument in combination with digital sequencing. Dalnes explained that `Max' is the name of the computer program that was used to make this recording, as well as Lamento by Pablo Rojas. Lamento was a lovely, haunting piece for piano, accompanied by synth-strings and sounds produced by Max that resembled everything from tiny whimpering violins to huge growling monsters.

Pondering, Wandering by sophomore Christopher Goodman was a jaunt on the lighter side of electronic music. A nice piece, it was composed almost entirely with synthesizers but contained nothing that really captured the attention. The same could be said for double-degree sophomore Matt Gundy's piece, Over-easy, composed entirely on `Max.' It was a good piece, but by using only one program, the interesting layers of rhythms that formed its basis were washed into the "Sea of Things We've Heard Before" by the unrelenting monochromatic digital sound.

In comparison, Onitibaroiba by sophomore Marcelo Sanches combined interesting rhythmic sequences with such disparate sounds as running water, bells, chimes and human voices played backwards and forwards at different speeds. At some point Warner felt a little creepy as it reverberated with the sounds of high-pitched, demented laughter and the slow deep breathing of invisible electronic beasts. Then again, TIMARA music isn't supposed to make you feel especially comfortable.

Elevator Music (all sounds in this piece were derived from elevators), by first-year Mark Bartscher, had an uncomfortable feel, but in a good, gritty, black-and-white post-modern movie kind of way. It was interesting to hear such familiar sounds brought together into a piece of music that conveyed a sense of movement, distance and small, dark spaces.

There were two pieces in this concert that really stood out. Transplendent, by the Groove Ensemble - consisting of conservatory sophomore Jacob Weber on piano and Macintosh, and double-degree sophomore Elbert Tsai on violin - had the double distinction of being the only piece that was performed live, as well as the only pop song. Transplendent - recognize the title from Annie Hall? - fused catchy beats with pop and jazz influences and the performers obviously had a lot of fun putting it together.

The other piece that really stood on its own was a joint effort by first-year Paul Davis and double-degree first-year Cory Arcangel, which was also the only piece for videotape, entitled J'aime la Fromage. This hilarious, wordless film stars an unlucky TIMARA student who left his DAT behind in the studio. Unbeknownst to him, while he is gone, a crew of Star Wars characters and Data from Star Trek, join forces to throw a "killer" party as they dance to the funky beats of the forgotten DAT. Eventually, the forgetful TIMARA student comes back and ruins their fun, but this cheesy, short film kept the rest of us laughing long after the concert was over.

This was one of the year's better TIMARA concerts, showing welcome signs of more sophisticated and creative work being produced by those involved. Words of advice for those in doubt: don't fear TIMARA concerts ... check them out.