Saturdays
March 5, 12, 19 & 26
6 PM - Midnight
Tom Hamilton
London Fix
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Untitled
a new work by
Michael J. Schumacher
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New York composer Tom Hamilton turns gold into music in his latest installation, titled London Fix. The recent bull market in gold has rekindled investor interest in the metal, and this piece traces these dramatic price moves through flowing synthesizer lines.
To create the rippling patterns featured in this work, Hamilton used his unique compositional system to convert fluctuations in spot gold price charts into streams of electronic sound. The resulting material was put through yet another parallel system of exposition and spatialization, programmed by Michael J. Schumacher. Much more poetic than literal, the musical result mirrors the ebb and flow of the market - sonic price charts intersecting and evolving in harmony. Played softly, this continuous stream of electronic music provides a curiously restful sound environment.
London Fix was awarded an Honorary Mention in the 2004 Prix Ars Electronica, one of 10 such prizes in a field of over 600 entries.
Hamilton has composed and performed electronic music for over 30 years. He was awarded the first music commission by the St. Louis Art Museum for his installation Morélos sin Término. Two of his sound environments have been presented at Studio Five Beekman: Drains and Pipes Forever (1997) focuses on sounds from a complex water distribution system, and Wish You Were Here (1998) is a formal study of musical materials freely adapted from Joseph Schillinger's theoretical writings.
Hamilton is a fellow of the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, will do a residency at their center in Umbria in 2005. Since 1990, Hamilton has been a member of composer Robert Ashley's touring opera ensemble.
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