INTERVIEW: To experience this concert, you need to walk around Inwood Hill Park
Photo: Members of TILT Brass will perform Forest Song in Inwood Hill Park, Oct. 14-15. Photo courtesy of the artist / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
Inwood Hill Park, located on the northern tip of Manhattan, will soon play host to a site-specific concert by artist and composer John P. Hastings, along with performers from TILT Brass. The work is called Forest Song, and it’s actually inspired by forests and this tree-filled New York City park. The one-hour performance, playing at various times on Oct. 14 and 15, are free to the public.
This experience will be truly unique. The performers are scattered around the park, each making their own sonic contributions to the overall score. Press notes indicate that the final product will be a human and arboreal conversation unlike anything else in the Big Apple. Audiences move about Inwood Hill Park and take in the music in any way they prefer, from a distance or up close.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Hastings, whose work has mined the connections between the environment and humanity. His pieces have been heard at a number of well-respected institutions, including the Hammer Museum, REDCAT and the Center for New Music. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Where and when did the idea for Forest Song come to you?
The idea for Forest Song was born out of my regular walks through Inwood Hill Park, Upstate Manhattan as we lovingly call it up here. I’ve done many outdoor performances before but never in a forest. The words “forest song” came together in my head, and then I just had to figure out what that meant! So the title came first, and then I had to unearth what the project and this performance was. As I did more and more research, ideas, themes and music came together.
What exactly does the audience experience during this nontraditional performance?
As the performers are scattered through the forest, the audience will mostly be approaching the music on a person-to-person basis, as they walk by the musicians. One of the main uniting factors is the “Forest Song,” which is a moment during the performance when all of the musicians perform together. Another way to approach the performance, and one I am most looking forward to, is for the audience to be right on the edge of audibility: just far enough away that they are barely hearing it. They will hear echoes and reverberations of the sound, as they walk to, from and around the sonic valley of the performance.
Does keeping all of the elements coordinated prove challenging?
Coordination was the biggest challenge of the work, the problem we were (are!) trying to solve. Having great musicians involved certainly helps.
What do you think of when traveling in the forest?
Oh, so many things pop into my head. Lately it’s been mostly this project, but many times I think of how we as humans have utilized these spaces from time immemorial. And relatedly, could I survive out here with just my wits about me? Could I build a shelter, start a fire, find food? Maybe those TV shows like Alone have sunk their teeth in me too far!
How has it been working with the musicians of TILT Brass?
I wanted to work with TILT as their director, Chris McIntyre, has been involved in creating some fascinating performances and is a great composer in his own right. I needed to have musicians used to non-standard performance and willing to get their feet dirty, literally. Outside of TILT, I have other musicians, some local to the uptown neighborhood, that are part of the great fabric of NYC and beyond. Really excited to have such a great group.
Can this performance be mounted elsewhere, or is it tied to Inwood Hill Park?
It could certainly performed elsewhere! Though the work began from a specific place, the concept and performance will fit any forested area. I already have thoughts about different places to go with it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Forest Song, composed by John P. Hastings, plays Oct. 14-15 at Inwood Hill Park in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
