Spring Break
Professors mix music, art in unique duo
Phil Haas
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Whitewater professors Matt Sintchak and Jeff Herriott have taken a usual duo performance and added a new element and style to it, making it an abstract and startlingly original approach to music.
Sintchak, an acclaimed saxophonist here at Whitewater, and Herriott, an electronic music composer, formed the Sonict Duo in 2005 with the goal of using both music and media to explore a new and artistic approach to music.
With a show intended to incorporate media and music, they're accompanied by a screen above them showing visual art, a lot of which tells a story that the music simply adds to.
"That's the idea that we're using with our music," Herriott said. "We're onstage the entire time, but we're in the dark. You can see our shapes, but the main attention will be on the sound and the screen above us."
Their shows are meant to bridge the long chasm between aural and visual experiences using the senses and changing peoples' idea of music.
"I want to take the saxophone and simply change it for people," Sintchak said. "I'll be playing acoustically, but the sound will also be manipulated by the electronics at the same time. I think people will really like the interplay between Matt and I."
The two take turns leading the music and manipulating the sound. Herriott uses Max MSP for his audio work and Jitter for his video processing, and combined with his large board of 9 faders and 27 separate dials he can tweak any sound he wants to, giving the Sonict Duo a very distinct sound.
Sonict Duo will perform in Whitewater on Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Sonict Duo will be on a northeast tour from Feb. 17 to 21. They'll be starting in Buffalo, N.Y. at the state university with a concert, then moving on to Rochester, N.Y. and Nazareth College to give another concert and student lectures and instructions. Both are excited for the chance to tour and spread their music.
"We're interested in music and the students here on campus, but we want to be able to take it outside of the area and play for anyone we can," Herriott said. "We enjoy traveling and the DIY approach to music. It's almost a rock 'n roll lifestyle. We're not a rock band, but we definitely have that approach to our music."
Sintchak, an acclaimed saxophonist here at Whitewater, and Herriott, an electronic music composer, formed the Sonict Duo in 2005 with the goal of using both music and media to explore a new and artistic approach to music.
With a show intended to incorporate media and music, they're accompanied by a screen above them showing visual art, a lot of which tells a story that the music simply adds to.
"That's the idea that we're using with our music," Herriott said. "We're onstage the entire time, but we're in the dark. You can see our shapes, but the main attention will be on the sound and the screen above us."
Their shows are meant to bridge the long chasm between aural and visual experiences using the senses and changing peoples' idea of music.
"I want to take the saxophone and simply change it for people," Sintchak said. "I'll be playing acoustically, but the sound will also be manipulated by the electronics at the same time. I think people will really like the interplay between Matt and I."
The two take turns leading the music and manipulating the sound. Herriott uses Max MSP for his audio work and Jitter for his video processing, and combined with his large board of 9 faders and 27 separate dials he can tweak any sound he wants to, giving the Sonict Duo a very distinct sound.
Sonict Duo will perform in Whitewater on Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Sonict Duo will be on a northeast tour from Feb. 17 to 21. They'll be starting in Buffalo, N.Y. at the state university with a concert, then moving on to Rochester, N.Y. and Nazareth College to give another concert and student lectures and instructions. Both are excited for the chance to tour and spread their music.
"We're interested in music and the students here on campus, but we want to be able to take it outside of the area and play for anyone we can," Herriott said. "We enjoy traveling and the DIY approach to music. It's almost a rock 'n roll lifestyle. We're not a rock band, but we definitely have that approach to our music."
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