Earlier this month, Radiophrenia Glasgow presented its annual radio art festival. As part of it, they included a program I submitted and a work by my students.
On the first night of the festival (heading into their midnight) they broadcast The Cloud-Chamber of Darkness Half-Hour, a radio program I made of recent works for members of the Harry Partch Ensemble. It included ensemble member Luke Fitzpatrick performing his composition “The Tomb,” Harry Partch Ensemble and Instrumentarium Direction Charles Corey performing his “Come to Dust,” and them performing Kerrith Livengood’s “Frog Pond Translations” and my “Nightpartches.” The interstitial narration uses spooky flair as it shares information about Harry Partch, the Instrumentarium, Fitzpatrick (their resident adapted viola specialist), Corey, Livengood, and myself. (A link to the audio will be posted in the near future).
On November 14th, the students from the Illinois String Academy heard their radio art work “Joyous Hippopotamus” broadcast. We had written it in class last fall, intending to apply to Moonah Community Radio Festival and Radiophrenia Glasgow. I am very proud of their work in exploring radio art with me and I hope to continue to discuss different kinds of experimentalism with them this spring in class.
Ralph Lewis: Composer 