Abstract:
Life’s Cycle of Transformations is a four-movement audio/video work for fixed media. It
includes an additional eight-channel rendering of the audio which can be substituted in place of
the stereo audio. This fifteen-minute work makes use of different compositional approaches for
each movement. The first movement incorporates practices found in spectralism and sonifcation,
the second movement includes concepts associated with New Complexity and techniques from
soundscape recording, the third movement is influenced by neo-romanticism and includes a live
guitar performance, and the fourth movement makes use of several ideas from minimalism and
derives some of its material from the application of generative computational systems.
The work is conceived of as existing in multiple formats. It can be presented as fixedmedia
stereo audio, fixed-media stereo audio and video, eight-channel audio, and eight-channel
audio and video. The work may be presented in its entirety, or the individual movements, which
are separate self-contained pieces, can be presented alone or in various combinations with one or
two of the other movements.
The composition is based on a narrative. It depicts the progression of the cycle of life
through the four seasons, with each movement representing a different season. The first
movement portrays spring and is associated with birth and emergence, the second movement
portrays summer and is associated with the height of activity and vibrancy, the third movement
portrays autumn and is associated with the process of winding down and nostalgia, and the fourth
movement portrays winter and is associated with limited activity and reaching an end state.
The accompanying document contains a review of the literature that was influential in the
creation of the work as well as an examination of the work process and the tools that were used.
SUPPLEMENTARY FILES: An mp4 file with stereo audio and video, an mp4 file with video
only, eight mono mp3 files for the multi-channel audio, and a png file of the speaker
arrangement are included.
