Sound in Sculpture features student-composed music written in response to works of art from the Landmarks collection. Presented in partnership with Texas Performing Arts and the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music, the 2021 program took place on April 22 at 7:00 PM.
Watch the recorded performances on Vimeo.
University students Geli Li, Sophie Mathieu, Abhi Rao, Thomas A. Rodriguez, and Rita Yung responded to the following works from Landmarks’ collection: Koren Der Harootian’s Prometheus and Vulture (1948); James Turrell’s The Color Inside (2013); Joel Perlman’s Square Tilt (1983); and Ursula von Rydingsvard’s Untitled (Seven Mountains) (1986-1988). The resulting compositions reflect a variety of styles, ranging from works for a brass quartet, to piano solos, to a mix of voice and instrumental arrangements.
Sound in Sculpture typically showcases music that has all been written in response to the same work of art, with annual performances held onsite at the location of the chosen installation. Because COVID-19 required that this year’s performance move online, composers were able to choose different works of art to respond to and also had opportunities to collaborate with musicians outside of Austin— in some cases, from across the world.