Projection Designer: Yale Camerata

A genre of music I feel strongly about is that of choral music. It tells stories, it creates atmospheres, and, most of the time, it is never exposed to design. That is what I hope to change!

It was in this spirit that I got in conversation with Yale Camerata's directors Maggie Brooks (music) and Laurie Ongley (production). The ensemble's Fall concert, titled "Bless the Living, Bless the Dead", would bring together a program of music by Howells, Tavener, and Barnett (the latter being her Bluegrass Mass).

I have to admit it took some time and trial to find the right visual vocabulary, particularly as the texts were often that of the Mass Ordinary. Nevertheless, I had also the joy of meeting with the directors and student managers to discuss these works, the ideas, and what inspired us.

When I found out the venue for the work would be the Church of the Redeemer, I was immediately excited by the possibilities of using projection mapping - as I always push for projection that emerges organically from the architecture of a space, as opposed to using screens - which distance us from the space. With the help of the TD&P department we were able to construct a white panel that would cover a section of the back wall that had a brown curtain - the result was as shown below.

I loved how, with these pieces, I was moved by abstraction. The segments from the Tavener requiem all involved projected light or water, and shifts of intensity, color, movement, surface, that would come from the music - texture, rhythm, dynamics, etc. It was also great how the Barnett Mass gave a chance for contemporary events to be incorporated, including the refugee crisis and terrorism in today's world.