JAMAAL WAIREGI, Staff Writer—
The Fall Into Eisner event back in September welcomed back Denison’s arts with crepes, music, and outside games. And although the rain may have soaked attendees, their moods lightened up with Third Coast Percussion’s intriguing performance.
This classical, chicago-based, award-winning quartet has been playing music for the group full time for nearly seventeen years, playing in a variety of states and countries. “In a typical year, we’ll spend half a year on the road,” says member Robert Dillon, “performing shows [at] residencies”. Third Coast is a recurring ensemble at Denison. “[We] spend two or three weeks here, and have lots of interaction with students”.
Third Coast took attendees for an engaging musical experience. Sean Conners, Robert Dillon, David Skidmore, and Peter Martin played a tune on wood blocks–the clicks and clacks of their unconventional instruments mesmerising the audience.
What’s more interesting, later that week, Third Coast revealed the inner workings of their music-making process, specifically how technology augments their melodies.
“We’re a music group,” Dillon states, “but we’ve had several… projects that have involved computer scientists and engineers”. The group discussed the different types of ways computer science has been integrated into music and specifically their works, and “[its] impact on the music that [they] make.”
When posed with the problem of trying to amplify music for a performance, they put small microphones on meat thermometers and alligator clips to stick to their stage objects. When given the challenge of needing to replicate sounds, they used intricate wiring systems with arduinos to make synthesized sounds.
Their adeptness to use technology for their endeavors has led to interesting performances, such as their performance “Drifts”, and intriguing collaborations, such as with faces like Elori Saxl and Jlin.
Utilizing both acoustic and algorithmic music in their works, Third Coast Percussion demonstrates to Denison students the extent of their mixed media projects. “The human element adds to the texture of [these] electronic [pieces].” says Sean Conners. “[It’s] a marriage of those two [mediums].”