Tag Archives: performance

The King of Nothing (2023) by Benjamin Damann

Performances, , ,

Here are two versions of The King of Nothing (2023) by Benjamin Damann. It is for any number of no-input mixing boards (NIMB). The first version is for solo NIMB, and the other is for trio. Note that there are intentional silences in the piece.

The King of Nothing – Solo
The King of Nothing – Trio

As a reference, here’s the premiere version of the piece

I wanted to try this piece because the score was well-written. The instructions were clear so that I knew what to change at a specific time. Written instructions were enough for me to interpret and perform. This core function is assumed and expected in traditionally notated scores (i.e., I know what to play and what not to play when I see traditionally notated piano scores). However, such clarity of performance direction is not always the case for electronic music, where instruments and performance practices are undefined and non-standardized. 

When performing The King of Nothing, I was delighted to follow the composer’s decision on form, which dictated when to play, how many parameters to control per event, and the speed of the parameter changes. At the same time, I was free to interpret which knobs and faders to move. The resulting sound is a well-timed sequence of various NIMB sounds with different timbres for each run. The solo version was fun, but combining the three versions gave a distinct texture. I liked both versions. 

I encourage readers to try The King of Nothing. It is a great introduction to the world of no-input mixing. Being able to play and present other people’s electronic music repertoire is a crucial but rarely done musical practice for electronic musicians. I want to do an evening-length concert of solo electronic music performances consisting of pieces not written by me. Damann’s The King of Nothing will certainly be a part of it.

Music For Dance

Collaborators, Compositions, Research, , ,

I have been writing and performing electronic music for dance for more than a decade. I learned so much from choreographers, and I look forward to working with them more in the future. Here’s a documentation of my music for dance so far.

Improvisation with Megan Bridge at Philadelphia City Hall (2012)

My dance collaboration started as an improviser. Megan Bridge of the Fidget and I met in Philadelphia, and we had many improv sessions. May sessions I had with the dancers during my Philly years (2008-2014) made me a better musician and listener. Below is another improvisation project with Erick Montes, Eunjung Choi, and Guillermo Ortega Montes.

The strangest thing (2014)

When I moved to Oberlin, I was fortunate to work with Holly Handman-Lopez. I was involved in producing an evening-length show about the woman suffrage movement. My role was to compose music with a short deadline and multiple changes/edits. I learned how to communicate with choreographers and dance production staff. Unfortunately, I do not have footage of the actual performance, but below are a promo video (with someone else’s music) and a recording session of a piece used in the show.

In Detroit, my current stomping ground, I continue to work with the dancers with different roles. In 2021, I worked with IS/LAND as a technologist. I provided an electromagnetic instrument that made sounds as the dancers approach an object. I was happy to be a part of a production as non-composer or non-performer (but still as a musician)

Invisible Embrace by IS/LAND (2021)

Last April, Biba Bell and I collaborated to make a 60min site-specific piece for dance and electronic ensemble. My job was to make music and direct an ensemble consisting of nine electronic musicians. It was the largest work I have ever worked on in terms of the number of people involved. The documentation of the work was also excellent.

A Dream Is A House for remembering the future (2022)

My most recent collaboration is with Joori Jung of Artlab J. Through this collaboration, I worked with a Pansori singer to compose a 20min music. The collaboration also took me to a new stage. I never thought my music was going to be on an Asian Culture Showcase! The video documentation is on the way, but here are pictures of the rehearsal.

Dance and music are time-based arts, and dancers and musicians learn from each other. I am grateful that I had opportunities to work with excellent choreographers and improvisers. I look forward to doing more projects with movements! I am not a dancer myself, but I am studying the relationship between movement and sound. Check out the video below!