CityBeat Best of Cincinnati: Alumna's 'Response Project' blends composition and historic spaces

“Sonic Meditations are not compositions in the traditional sense. There's no notated music; it's just text, and it’s meant to be very participatory,” Matzke told CityBeat. “There's really no delineation between the audience and the performer. The hope is for everyone to deepen awareness of their body and their breath, their sense of listening actively, listening not only to the musical sounds but to all other sounds both inside and outside of you. Ultimately (Oliveros) wanted listening to become an openness and awareness that can lead to compassion, greater self-empowerment and really positive social change in the long run.”

The works were presented in a gallery show of visual art and a series of four short art films produced by local filmmakers Biz Young, Jason Nix and Andy Gasper. Each film is set in a different historical building in Cincinnati and features a deep listening meditation by Troy Brosnick of The Hive and a performance by musicians from concert:nova. The newly commissioned pieces by the five composers will be premiered during the final film in the series, and will be performed by Matzke, piano, and Chris Graham, percussion.