Let There Be Light: Illuminating performances of Erik Griswold’s ‘Strings Attached’
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Research Statement
Research Background
Australian composer Erik Griswold’s work ‘Strings Attached’ requires six percussionists to play drums using mallets attached to long ropes. Eight of these ropes are connected to a tall central pole. The movements of the mallets produce sounds from the drums, as well as wave-like motions in the ropes. As a director and performer, I was fascinated by the concept of this work, and by the combination of visual and auditory stimuli – and I was convinced of the potential to significantly enhance future performances of this work. The research questions were:1. Can Strings Attached be performed more effectively in darkness, using luminosity or fluorescent lighting?2. If fluorescence is the preferred approach, what are the most effective types of UV light generation, and of UV-reactant materials?
Research Contribution
I conducted experiments with luminosity and fluorescence, and determined that UV fluorescent lighting is a more effective approach in the context of this work. I then experimented with four different rope types, three different UV light sources, and six different UV-reactant materials. My conclusion was that white cotton ropes soaked in UV-reactant paint and treated with ‘RIT’ UV-reactant textile brightener are extremely effective. I also found that UV fluorescent tubes are more effective than UV LED lights or specialist UV globes in creating a fluorescence-only, ‘glow-in-the-dark’ result. Using this approach, Strings Attached was performed three times in April 2024 to a total audience of 525 people, and was filmed and released on Youtube.
Research Significance
Composer Erik Griswold was delighted, writing “It’s a tremendous spectacle… I love the UV paint effect.” Audiences at the three performances were entranced. An illustrated research article is in preparation for publication in the international industry journal “Percussive Notes’. The performance video is now available worldwide on Youtube.
Non-Traditional Research Output
Live Performance
Document Type
Non-Traditional Research Output
Date of Publication
2024
Location of the Work
Perth
Publication Title
Let There Be Light
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
RAS ID
82749
Event Dates
April 26-27, 2024
Event Venue
Richard Gill Auditorium at Edith Cowan University / Youtube
Comments
White, T. (2024). Let There Be Light: Illuminating performances of Erik Griswold’s ‘Strings Attached’. [Musical performance and published video]. Richard Gill Auditorium at Edith Cowan University.