Before beginning to scratch behind some surfaces and to delve into nuances and the challenges of the contemporary musical situation(s), I would like to make a few scattered remarks concerning this blog and the framework in which, what we are calling for the time being, ‘Big Mouths’ (a collaboration between counter)induction, the Chris Lightcap group, and the Elastic Arts Room (E.A.R.)—formerly Project One) will be shaped and will unfold. More than anything, I think that this collaboration—or the seeds of which—came about because of a certain shared sense of excitement about the music(s) being created today and about the challenges posed by our contemporary creative and aesthetic environment(s). Underneath this excitement however, we also share a certain sense of urgency with respect to the survival of increasingly marginalized musical art forms within consumer culture. We recognize that it is no longer tenable merely to present subproscenium concerts. The way in which music is presented and contextualized is especially vital now as we see the results of clinging on to the conventions of 19th century concert culture. We also recognize that music, art, and ideas are intricately woven into a larger tapestry of human endeavor, institutions, power relations and thus require us to unmask and look beyond the ‘purely musical’. New music and new listening require new critical models.
In addition to presenting new composed works juxtaposed with improvised music, the Elastic Arts Room attempts to open a space in which artists, composers, and audiences are actively engaged outside of traditional modes of production and reception (or consumption). Counter)induction’s work over the last years has carved out such a space characterized by collaboration, closer composer-performer-audience relations, flexibility, openness. As Douglas mentioned, this blog is an attempt to open further possibilities of communicative action. With this blog, we hope to open up the discussion of what we are trying to do with this particular event as well as with our respective organizations to anyone who shares our interest, if not commitment, to contemporary music and ‘criticism’. New, creative ways of organizing ourselves, of presenting this vital music, of engaging ourselves in the philosophical, social, and political contexts of this music are required in order to face the challenges of our pluralistic music world.
We hope that you will join us in these discussions; your ideas, criticisms, and perspectives are appreciated beyond being merely welcome. Through the conversations on this blog, you will help us to shape the context, programming, and significance of the event that we will present in the fall.
Christopher Zimmermann