VAK: SONG OF BECOMING
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ANN DYER  
 ENSEMBLE
  WORK SAMPLES  








WORK SAMPLE REEL. 
Includes video of Vak Artists, Vak Choir rehearsals, and an informal session in which the Vak Ensemble participated in some initial explorations of ideas for use in the piece.

segment 1: Ann Dyer Ensemble with John Shifflett, Jason Lewis, Jeff Buenz and Rob Burger in performance at the Chivas Jazz Festival in Sao Paolo, Brazil 2001

segment 2: Vak Ensemble experimenting with combining free improvisation and the Vedic chant Vak Suktam.

segment 3: Co-composer Tim Volpicella performing in duo with pianist Vijay Iyer. Performed on Persian-tuned guitar and piano as part of Hafez Modirzadeh's Post-Chromodal Ensemble's performance at San Jose State Univeristy 2012

segment 4: Vak Choir Performance Workshop members learning bhramhari (the bee) breath, a medieval hatha yoga meditation technique. February 2013

segment 5: Ann Dyer and Hafez Modirzadeh engaging experiementing with creating sonic "beats" or "shimmers" through the performing simultaneous, close pitches.  February 2013

segment 6: Vak Choir Performance Workshop members learning Raga Yaman and devotional song to Saraswati/Vak. February 2012.

segment 7: Vak Choir Performance Workshop learning Vedic Invocation to Saraswati/Vak.  February 2013

segment 8: Erika Shuch's "Chorus of Stones", Daejeon Metropolitan Dance Theater, South Korea 2011, 

segment 9: Hafez Modirzadeh performing on saxophone and shennai, explaining his theory of Convergence Liberation, a principle that informs the Vak Project.  YBCA 2012






The composition 
Vak: Song of Becoming 

is currently in process. Musical considerations being explored include the experiential effect of tunings (specifically Indian, Persian and Arabic); the use of raga in contemporary, transcultural composition; directionality of sound (e.g., circularity, expansion, contraction), vocal resonance; and composition within improvisation. 

This Work Page attempts to provide a general impression of the direction, nature and integrity of this piece through:

• a Video Work Reel
• Audio Samples of Artists' Previous Recordings. 
• MIDI sketches of compositional themes being developed.

AUDIO WORK SAMPLES  
VAK: SONG OF BECOMING
Composed by Ann Dyer and Tim Volpicella

Personnel
Ann Dyer, lead vocals
Hafez Modirzadeh, saxophones, shennai and ney
Tim Volpicella, guitars (with various tunings)
John Shifflett, acoustic bass
Jason Lewis, drums
The Vak Vocal Ensemble, seven voices
The Vak Choir, 108 voices


MIDI SKETCHES FOR VAK: SONG OF BECOMING



The Vak Project,
​
devoted to a sound present
and resonant future.
Picture