Bird Song: A Contemporary Shadow Play



Harvey Mudd College presents the premiere of “Bird Song,” a collaboration with HMC composer Bill Alves, Scripps writer Adam Novy, and other performers and designers. This one-act theatrical and musical performance is in the form of a shadow play, in which characters are depicted through their silhouettes cast on a rear-projected screen, a form inspired by ancient theater traditions and modern technology. Performers will include the HMC American Gamelan together with singers and actors. The program also includes a new work for microtonal keyboard, cello, and gamelan instruments by composer Akshaya Avril Tucker.



Sunday, March 31, 2024, 7 p.m.
Drinkward Recital Hall




A 2-dimensional artwork in mixed media which appears partly digital. In the image is a side view of a human figure in the foreground, birds flying across on top, and a village by the mountains in the background.



PROGRAM



Bird Song
Music by Bill Alves
Words by Adam Novy

Alexis St. John, set and mask designer
Emily Dauwalder, stage direction
Anne Dorothy Harley, dramaturge
Ursula Maria Kleinecke, soprano
Grace Stewart, mezzo-soprano
Raul Valdez, tenor
Andi Dana, baritone
Rachel Rudich, shakuhachi

Gamelan musicians: Bill Alves, Kenneth Cotich, Gus Gil, Robert Welding

Shadow actors: Aubrey Schoeman, Emerson Dauwalder, Julian Santos, Julia Santos


My Soul, Soul of All, Concerto for Microtonal Keyboard, Cello, and Gamelan
Akshaya Avril Tucker

Aron Kallay, keyboard
Maggie Parkins, cello
HMC gamelan musician


The creators gratefully acknowledge support from the The Holmes Endowment Fund and The Ken Stevens ‘61 Founding Class Concert Series Fund.

Thanks also to the Harvey Mudd College Maker Space, the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, and the Louisa and Robert Miller Professorship in the Humanities.


HMC is deeply grateful for the generous support that created The Ken Stevens ’61 Founding Class Concert Series.

Skip footer and return to header
Skip footer and return to header