Open Ended is a dynamic performance crafted live for the audience. Inspired by Rova’s Radar techniques, Open Ended is more of a vibrant palette than a fixed composition. It’s an expanding set of guidelines and games for the musicians, directed by the conductor’s hand signals. Rather than following a predetermined script, the conductor composes on the spot, responding to the present moment and guiding the performers with these signals. This concept mirrors the “Soundpainting” language, a pioneering creation by Walter Thompson in Woodstock, New York, 1974. The beauty of Open Ended lies in its adaptability. With no fixed instrumentation, any number of musicians can partake. The duration is equally fluid, ranging from a brisk 5 minutes to a marathon 24 hours. Though it has been showcased several times, with memorable renditions in 2005, 2009, and 2018 by the SFCCO, each performance is a unique, unrepeatable world première. This rendition of Open Ended includes a special homage to SFCCO founder, Mark Alburger. I have crafted two variations of three phrases, each inspired by the Morse code sequence for ‘Mark George Alburger.’
– – .- .-. -.- / – -. . – – – .-. – -. . / .- .-.. -… ..- – -. . .-.
Rhythm is created by assigning the dashes, or long signals in Morse code, twice the note value of the dots, which represent the short signals. The audience was then given the opportunity to choose which version they wanted to hear incorporated into this performance of Open Ended.
Open Ended: Mark Alburger Variation
