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JOYCE BEETUAN KOH
MUSIC • SOUND
THE WASTE LAND
https://indiexfest.com/2021/11/29/revisiting-t-s-eliots-the-waste-land/
INFINITE OCTAGON
[In]finite Octagon – a 30-minute dance-film - we reflect on the ancient Chinese Eight Trigram [八卦Bā guà] as a microcosm of the world. Each trigram is assigned to a specific element in the octagon; wind, fire, water, mountain, heaven, earth, lake and thunder.
Conceived by dance-maker Angela Liong, [In]finite Octagon is a lush 30-minute film featuring dance, new sounds using traditional instruments, and a fluid art installation to reinterpret the legend of the Eight Immortals through abstract, contemporary attributes.
The gathering of four dancers and four musicians - playing the roles of the eight immortals - was staged at a disused fish farm nestled among wild vegetations and an abandoned old school hall. This set the stage for a face-off with the natural elements locked in tumultuous dance.
Comprising of a tenor voice, the Chinese percussion and a host of Chinese flutes, the music score is configured as a juxtaposition of sonorities or a collocation of sonic colours and movements.
Composed by Joyce Beetuan Koh, the soundscape resonates with the narratives of the opposing forces and co-existence of the elements.
Sixty-four blue and white inflatable pieces were created by sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong to form a modern-day bā guà installation. The movements of the dancers accentuate the spatial perspective and proportions, throwing the body towards the irrevocable course of tipping points in nature.
Conceived by dance-maker Angela Liong, [In]finite Octagon is a lush 30-minute film featuring dance, new sounds using traditional instruments, and a fluid art installation to reinterpret the legend of the Eight Immortals through abstract, contemporary attributes.
The gathering of four dancers and four musicians - playing the roles of the eight immortals - was staged at a disused fish farm nestled among wild vegetations and an abandoned old school hall. This set the stage for a face-off with the natural elements locked in tumultuous dance.
Comprising of a tenor voice, the Chinese percussion and a host of Chinese flutes, the music score is configured as a juxtaposition of sonorities or a collocation of sonic colours and movements.
Composed by Joyce Beetuan Koh, the soundscape resonates with the narratives of the opposing forces and co-existence of the elements.
Sixty-four blue and white inflatable pieces were created by sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong to form a modern-day bā guà installation. The movements of the dancers accentuate the spatial perspective and proportions, throwing the body towards the irrevocable course of tipping points in nature.
MOVING SKETCHES
Moving Sketches is a 9-minute film that celebrates Singapore's 50th birthday with scenes of the city. The images have been captured by a host of motion time-lapse and still photographers while the sound was composed by Joyce Beetuan Koh.
The film is produced and presented by NAFA.
The film is produced and presented by NAFA.
HEARING LINES
Hearing Lines is a 6-minute audio-visual work for a solo performer at the keyboard and computer.
The concept of Hearing Lines is to interpret lines of an imaginary architecture plan, reading it as a graphic score to guide musical decisions.
In the beginning, I selected several architectural plans and topographical prints which I found interesting. Then, I cobbled and sequenced these visual plans in a way that evoked an aural scenario. Finally, the visual stimuli and aural imagination became dynamic, and I felt compelled to sequence and animate them into an audio-musical piece. The result is a tight interplay between music and visuals. The video can either be a standalone work or a performance with an improviser.
The concept of Hearing Lines is to interpret lines of an imaginary architecture plan, reading it as a graphic score to guide musical decisions.
In the beginning, I selected several architectural plans and topographical prints which I found interesting. Then, I cobbled and sequenced these visual plans in a way that evoked an aural scenario. Finally, the visual stimuli and aural imagination became dynamic, and I felt compelled to sequence and animate them into an audio-musical piece. The result is a tight interplay between music and visuals. The video can either be a standalone work or a performance with an improviser.
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