When playing outside as a child, sticks easily become magic wands, soaring birds become dragons mid-roar, and elixirs are crafted out of dirt and leaves. In Julie Blackmon’s “Outing,” the chaos that can be created in a child’s imagination is manifested as geese circle a picnic blanket with a McDonald’s Happy Meal, the children running away and abandoning their afternoon adventure.
Vietnamese-American composer Viet Cuong wrote “Re(new)al” for Sandbox Percussion: ensemble-in-residence at the University of Missouri - Kansas City Conservatory. “I have tremendous respect for renewable energy initiatives and the commitment to creating a new, better reality for us all,” Cuong says. “Re(new)al is similarly devoted to finding unexpected ways to breathe new life into traditional ideas, and the solo quartet therefore performs on several ‘found’ instruments, including crystal glasses and compressed air cans.” The music mirrors the sunny, playful, yet chaotic scene depicted in Julie Blackmon’s photograph “Outing.”
Want to explore more music inspired by Julie Blackmon's art? Listen to our Spotify playlist for full pieces.
Find more information about 'Julie Blackmon: A Life in Frame' on the Kemper's website.
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