An icon in Boston and beyond, the Green Monster has been a part of sport folklore, historic moments, and the identity of our city for generations. What would she say if given the opportunity to speak? A cohort of New England based musicians, composers, and visual artists have teamed up with Illuminus Boston to find out. Initiating Hubweek on October 3 and 4, Lansdowne Street will become a playground for artists and spectators. Waking the Monster will be the centerpiece of Illuminus, a free nighttime contemporary arts festival, expected to attract thousands of visitors.
We are seeking works from 5 - 15 minutes, using the Green Monster as the instrument. The ensemble will consist of nine professional percussionists.
HERE, you will find a folder including a library of available sounds, maps of the Monster including the locations of the sounds, photos of performers on the Monster, and a preferred notation system.
We aim to create a story using these pieces about awakening a dormant presence in our city. We encourage imaginative works, keeping in mind the large scale production and logistics of this endeavor. Here are a few parameters:
1. The distance between performers is large and this is an open air environment. Therefore, concert chamber skills are difficult to reproduce. Monitors will be available for performers, but there is an acoustic time delay.
2. All performances will be paired with live sound reactive lighting and projection art. It will be dark outside, however performers will be able to see sheet music.
3. Each piece will only get 2 - 3 hours of rehearsal (mostly off-site). Please consider this as you compose!
4. New England based composers are preferred.
5. Due to the logistics of this project, the curatorial team may need to offer guidance on your composition. Applicants are asked to be open to a collaborative effort.
6. Composers will be expected to attend rehearsals on 9/26 and 10/2 (see schedule below).