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Mosaic
Ecology of Souls
Mosaic
An Exploration of Color in Music
Michelle Law & pianist Phillip Dannels present a recital program exploring the vibrant palette of colors & textures used in classical music. Both musicians are synesthetes & experience music as both an aural & visual phenomenon, connecting music with color in the mind's eye. This recital explores their unique sensory experience of classical music for voice & piano.
Composers of works performed include Chopin, Debussy, Duparc, Head, Korngold, Liszt, Verdi, & Wagner.
What is Synesthia?
Psychology Today defines synesthesia as, "a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway (for example, hearing) leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway (such as vision). Simply put, when one sense is activated, another unrelated sense is activated at the same time. This may, for instance, take the form of hearing music and simultaneously sensing the sound as swirls or patterns of color." The condition usually presents in early childhood.
What is a "synesthete"?
A person who has had synesthesia their entire life is referred to as a "synesthete". Such people often feel synesthesia is a gift, & many people feel that it has a direct, vibrant influence on their creativity. Famous artists who had synesthesia include Vincent van Gough, jazz musician & composer Duke Ellington, & composer Franz Liszt.
How common is synesthesia?
Current estimates are that somewhere between 3 & 5% of the population have some form of synesthesia, with women being more frequently effected than men. It is currently believed that synesthesia is genetic.
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Ecology of Souls
Mythology of Death & the Paranormal in Music
Michelle Law & pianist Phillip Dannels present a recital program inspired by author Joshua Cutchin's seminal work, Ecology of Souls: A New Mythology of Death & the Paranormal, which explores the similarities of global folklore and mythologies across time. Cutchin's work is "a bold and innovative contribution to Fortean research and scholarship, and a kaleidoscopic expedition into the wilds of the paranormal ecosystem." (Jack Hunter, PhD).
This recital presents music for solo piano, art song, and opera exploring the cyclical nature of themes from Cutchin's book, namely death and the paranormal.
Composers of works performed include Korngold, Liszt, Schubert, Strauss, Wagner, & Wolf.