“Rarities” is a series of one-time performances that incorporate music, sculpture, and dance. These pieces are intended to create specific, non-reproducible moments in a gallery setting. This is an effort to rethink the practice of musicianship and blur the distinction between performance and installation.

We performed the first volume during the summer solstice on June 20, 2017 starting exactly at sundown and lasting until the end of civil twilight. The performance consisted of a loop of reel-to-reel audio tape that formed a large circle in the gallery space. As the tape was playing, I manipulated a number of sculptural items that added to the sound, including paper, metal rods, and pieces of wood.

The second performance took place in the days before the August 21, 2017 solar eclipse. Gabi Vanek improvised a piece of music for bassoon and electronics, and while she was performing I altered various lights and speakers in the space.

The audio from each performance was recorded, but the recordings are considered secondary documentation and are not meant to be distributed as complete pieces. All of the artists involved in this project agree that once something has been presented as part of the “Rarities” series, it will never again be exhibited in any other setting.