DJ SPOOKY’s Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica

While highly regarded as a writer and conceptual artist, Paul D. Miller is probably best known under the moniker of his constructed persona, “DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid.” Miller has remixed and recorded with a panoply of artists ranging from Metallica to Steve Reich to Killah Priest and has performed in a wide variety of situations throughout the world. His recent work includes a compilation CD of classic reggae tracks called In Fine Style, DJ Spooky presents 50,000 Volts of Trojan Records!!! as well as his award-winning book Rhythm Science. His large scale multimedia work, Terra Nova: Sinfonia Antarctica, is an acoustic portrait of a rapidly changing continent translating Miller’s first person encounter with the harsh, dynamic landscape of Antarctica into visual and sonic portraits. In Terra Nova, Miller captured the acoustic qualities of Antarctic ice forms in field recordings, reflecting a changing— even vanishing— environment under duress. In addition to video projections and DJ Spooky on turntables, the performance will also feature local chamber musicians, Linda Vik &  Joanna Morska-Osinska, violins; Katie Harlow, cello; and Debbie Briggs, piano. Terra Nova was commissioned by BAM / 2009 Next Wave Festival, Change Performing Arts, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Hopkins Center / Dartmouth College, UCSB Arts & Lectures, Spoleto 51 / Festival dei 2 Mondi and follows his highly acclaimed performance work, DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation, which he has performed worldwide. The performance of Terra Nova is part of LAND/ART, a collaborative exploration of land-based art in New Mexico.

This event is made possible in part by a grant from the McCune Charitable Foundation for collaborative programming at the historic KiMo Theatre in Downtown Albuquerque. It is also made possible through support from the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF); the National Endowment for the Arts; and New Mexico Arts, a division of the office of Cultural Affairs.

Tonight’s concert will be followed by a reception with DJ Spooky at the Richard Levy Gallery, 514 Central SW where one can view the exhibition: Erika Blumenfeld: Early Findings: Artifacts from The Polar Project www.thepolarproject.com. There will also be an Open House at 516 ARTS 516 Central Ave. SW where one can view the exhibitions: Grasslands and Separating Species. www.516arts.org

DJ SPOOKY
TERRA NOVA: SINFONIA ANTARCTICA
Conceived, composed and performed by Paul D. Miller / DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid

Piano: Debbie Briggs
Violin: Linda Vik
Violin: Joanna Morska-Osinska
Cello: Katie (Catherine Jean) Harlow

Director: Bob McGrath
Visual design: A.J. Weissbard
Research and editing: V-Factory / Andrea Bianchi and Matteo Massocco
Projection Design: Jim Findlay
Assistant Projection Design: Josh Higgason
Technical Director: Sven Furberg

Commissioned by:
BAM for the 2009 Next Wave Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Hopkins Center / Dartmouth College, UCSB Arts & Lectures, Spoleto 51 / Festival dei 2 Mondi

Produced by Music + Art Management in association with Change Performing Arts
Executive production CRT Artificio and Stephen Cohen

Special thanks to Rosemary Reed Miller, Kim Whitener at HERE Arts Center, Howard Kenty, Arminio Sciolli and MIT Press