AUGENMUSIK is a notational practice that refers to the unique graphic features on a musical score, designed by composers to convey a symbolic meaning or riddle to performers, but that is not ordinarily visible to an audience. In this project, we attempt to expand and evolve the concept of AUGENMUSIK to represent a visual experience of a musical work within the context of a musical performance, simultaneously incorporating a live visual art performance using abstract drawing and video projection.
This is an experiment in performance practice. The implementation of visual performance into art song performance provides for performer and audience another layer of experience. Our intention in presenting this project is to break away from traditional convention, and while preserving the integrity of the music, to engage the audience in an artful and progressive way.
The visual aspect of the performance includes abstract drawing with ink, stencils, lighting, filming and video projection, using the notation of the performed song cycle as a starting point. In doing so, the elements of time and abstract visual interpretation are added to the practice of AUGENMUSIK, and a new layer of perception is introduced to the listener. The visual artist’s instrument, also set on stage, is a transparent glass surface on which the drawing and light choreography take place. A video camera films the surface from underneath and the filmed image is projected onto a screen.
Praised for her "high, sweet coloratura" and "nuanced performance", soprano Alison Scherzer's creative portfolio spans opera, musical theater, concert, operetta, theater and film. Scherzer recently reprised her role as Maid in Thomas Adès' Powder Her Face, in a co-production with Nouvel Opéra Fribourg and Athénée Théâtre Louis-Jouvet, where she previously sang Cecily Cardew in Gerald Barry's The Importance of Being Earnest. She performed as a soloist at the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater Görlitz-Zittau, where she sang Maid in Powder Her Face, Franziska Cagliari in Wiener Blut, Ulla in The Producers, Chava in Fiddler on the Roof and Stella/Ella in Frau Luna. Other roles include Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Zerbinetta and Najade in Ariadne auf Naxos, Mrs. Nordstrom in Sondheim's A Little Night Music, Curley's Wife in Carlisle Floyd's Of Mice and Men, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, and Maria in The Sound of Music.
Scherzer's concert and oratorio experience include the soprano solos in Fauré's Requiem, Poulenc's Gloria, Mondonville's Dominus Regnavit, Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium and Johannespassion, Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate and Vesperae solennes de confessore, Saint-Saëns' Christmas Oratorio, Orff's Carmina Burana, Brahms' Deutsches Requiem and Liebeslieder Walzer, and as Lieschen in Bach's Kaffee Kantate.
Scherzer studied at the prestigious University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music (CCM) for her Master of Music and Artist Diploma studies. At CCM she received the Norman Treigle Memorial Award, Dieterle Chair Scholarship, CCM Spoleto Fellowship, Mercer Fund and University of Cincinnati International Grants for music and linguistic studies in Spoleto and Lucca, Italy, and Lyon, France. She has participated in the Wernigeröder Schloßfestspiele, Pine Mountain Music Festival, CCM Spoleto, the Grandin Vocal Chamber Music Festival, Opera Theater and Music Festival of Lucca, AIMS Festival in Graz, and the Wesley-Balk Opera/Music-Theater Institute.
Jorgos Katsimitsoulias´ visual art integrates painting and ink drawing techniques with orchestrated camera movements and lighting techniques. In 2007 he started working with the musician Elias Ntais on the Soundsketching project, a live improvisational audiovisual performance. Soundsketching was awarded with a JazzWerkRuhr prize in 2009. After concerts in Germany and Spain, an experimental documentary about the project was released in 2017.
As a filmmaker Jorgos focuses on musical / experimental documentaries and music Videos. He directed and coproduced "Jazzsoup", a film about the Jazz Orchestra "The Dorf", "Operatic", a documentary about an independent opera ensemble and "INSPIRATIONTS", an experimental documentary about creativity and inspiration.
WWW.SOUNDSKETCHING.COM | WWW.JAZZSOUP.DE | WWW.INSPIRATIONTS.COM
Augenmusik can be presented in various ways: in a live performance setting, as a digital installation or in an online streaming format:
We can provide a great range of pre-produced multimedia content (images, audio, video teasers, text) for the advertisement of AUGENMUSIK on social media platforms and other online and print media.
Please fill out the form to contact us or write an email to alisonscherzer@gmail.com