One-Page Score Project – Derek von Essen (score), Meteoric (music)

One-Page Score Project – Derek von Essen (score), Meteoric (music)

Trajectory / Transformation

Premiered 12 March 2021 as part of Painting Music – One-Page Score Project presented by Vancouver New Music and Laboratorio.

Score animation by Meteoric. @meteoric.xx

Notes from Derek von Essen:
I work in a few different mediums but my doodle drawing style hasn’t changed much over the years. The idea this would become music was fascinating but somewhat daunting so other than having a linear approach to the drawing, I merely drew the shapes my hand gravitates to doodle. I understand the pairing of musician and artist was random, but I’m still intrigued with the the fact we both live semi-rural, close to the coastal shoreline, with the Salish Sea dividing us. It was a gift to hear sound and music so spellbindingly representative of my lines, shapes and figures.
http://www.derekvonessen.com/​

Notes from Meteoric:
It was such a privilege to work with such a fantastic score. I began the process of interpreting it by sitting with it and brainstorming about what elements I saw in the drawing, then translated those to sonic elements. I then began collecting field recordings inspired by the natural elements in the score, like birds, wind, and waves. I felt that the drawing style was very similar to that of 70s cartoonists so I researched what synthesizers and other instrumentation was found in psych rock of the era, a genre that felt appropriate for the magical style of the drawing. I spent the next week composing with those elements, focusing on designing sounds and musical motifs to match the visual motifs in the score, and then matching the compositional structure to the score’s framework. At the very end I recorded bubbles and vocals to tie together all the elements. I composed and mixed the piece in Ableton.
– Meteoric
http://meteoricxx.bandcamp.com/​