Dome Dames – 11th Nov 2012
IMPROVISATIONAL MUSINGS … presented by Anne Norman & Sarah Wilmot in the Norla Dome, Seafarers Mission, Melbourne.
Here are some highlights from this unusual performance … in an even more unusual venue.
THE DAMES … Anne Norman, shakuhachi flutes & Sarah Wilmot, voice.
This was the first time Anne & Sarah had performed together & it was totally improvised.
Credit must also be given to the many seagulls vocalizing atop the large Dome.
THE DOME … was designed originally as a gymnasium for seafarers & situated beside the Yarra river.
More recently it’s become sandwiched between a very active floating helipad & a busy freeway with many semitrailers, container trucks & regional buses, etc passing by.
To quote from the Mission to Seafarers website … “Dome Gallery is a large circular dome shaped gallery space situated within the historical MTSV building that offers a unique gallery experience capturing light and sound like no other creative space that exists in Melbourne. The original exposed brick forms the surrounding walls while the towering concrete dome creates a ceiling with great impact. It is a space that people come to experience, and not just look at.”
LINKS:
Anne Norman … annenorman.com
Sarah Wilmot: … vocalathletics.com
Seafarers Mission: … missiontoseafarers.com.au/
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Dome Dames 1 … Entry
Sarah Wilmot begins the performance by entering the Dome with a flourish … & with freeform vocalizing glides about & across to the far ‘side’.
Anne Norman then enters playing her composition Rain Now and Then and, as soon as she fully enters the Dome, morphs into an improvised piece. She continues improvising while doing a slow meditative walk around the perimeter of the dome to join Sarah.
Credit must also be given to the many seagulls vocalizing atop the large Dome.
Many years ago … the Dome was a gymnasium for seafarers passing through Melbourne ports.
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DD2…Stations of Dome
Solo performance by Sarah vocalizing intimately with each of the Domes supporting pillars.
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DD3…1.8shak _ Duet for One
One of the absolute joys of an improvised spontaneous gig, is that no-one knows what is going on … including the performers. Here Anne is assuming that they are about to perform a duo, and Sarah is assuming it is a shakuhachi solo. Anne makes ‘offers’ to Sarah, who has her eyes closed, in listening mode…
“I really enjoyed the way this piece unfolded. I was structuring it as a conversation, but only ended up talking with the seagulls … (and momentarily the toilet cistern, that happened to be at the same pitch I was playing) and I quite liked the result. Thanks Sarah! Without you there, this piece would not have come into existence.” – Anne
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DD4…2.5 shak – E flat Bell
Anne on shakuhachi and Sarah on bell & vocal.
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