Premiered by Vox Urbane at Stanley Arts on 23rd of November 2024.
Based on Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ the song is a sonic exploration of small part of Odysseus’s trip back home to Ithaca. In the story, being warned by goddess Circe, Odysseus ties himself to a mast and advises all sailors to use ear wax in order to prevent the catastrophe. Sirens were known to lure sailors with their beautiful songs, and if the sailors changed the course of the ship, they would soon crash into rocks and sink.
This mythical story was a liminal point for me to create a song commissioned by Vox Urbane. In their cycle called : Responses I, I was able to respond to prevailing consumerism. I see the song and luring as appealing way of replacing one’s worth and wellbeing with objects. It is no longer enough ‘to be’, it is ‘to have’ that of utmost importance. We are being constantly advertised products, services and goods which make it easy to dissipate our focus and energy. After all, do I really need another diet/sample pack/(fill whatever you can’t resist)?
I made this song as a resistance song. It is not punk at all, it’s not rebelling against anything, it’s simply an observation, a story telling – what I would like my music to remain.
On a technical note, the song includes several extended techniques, which are remarkably easy to perform (such as whistling, loud breathing and buzzing). Vox Urbane did an incredible job and rendering the song, I hope I can find a choir who dares to perform it. With all the noises asked of performer the feedback I received from singers was mostly that of fun, enjoyment and challenge. I never intend to make it harder for players then it already is to be a musician in this world.
I have recordings of the performance if you’re interested in hearing/performing the song, please reach out.
Special thanks to Helen Meyerhoff and Dan Ludford-Thomas for commissioning of the new piece and wonderful tech team at Stanley Arts for taking care of miking and electronics.
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