KORI BARKLEY
Staff Writer
Thirteen Fredonia choreographers and composers showcased their abilities this past Sunday at the Choreographer/Composer Concert held in King Concert Hall.
Directed by Helen Myers, director of dance at Fredonia and Rob Deemer, professor of composition, the annual showcase featured collaborative works by student choreographers and composers, each based on a sample of visual art.
At the beginning of the semester, students from Myer’s Choreography II class and Deemer’s composition studio were paired together based on their artistic abilities and collaborative personality. Each pair chose a painting or photograph and was asked to create an interpretation conveyed through both music and dance.
A multitude of styles in both the music and dance were portrayed on Sunday; it was evident the collaborators were invested in their work, as each expressively depicted an aspect of passion.
Gina Meola, a senior composer, and choreographer Abby Donegan chose to compose a work based on “Conversions” by Egon Schiele.
There are multiple elements of the painting that Meola based her composition upon.
“There are three distinct faces but it’s almost as if their bodies are melting into one another,” Meola explained. “I thought it would be interesting to translate that concept into music, mainly through texture and the harmonic relationship between all four [musicians]. I also tried to incorporate the colors of the painting into the music. It’s largely monochromatic — sandy beige with the exception of a few burst of strong blue. By establishing a 5 note- motif and utilizing repetition, any pitches outside of that 5-note motif act as those burst[s] of color.”
Abby Donegan interpretation quote.
The movements graceful and beautiful.
“I’ve always felt that this is one of the best examples of student creativity we have here at Fredonia,” Deemer stated. “It’s one thing to create something alone, but to have another creator’s input, especially one whose discipline is different than yours, ensures that decisions will be made that wouldn’t be made otherwise. It’s a lot of work for all involved, but the high level of the final performance showed how valuable it was for everyone who took part.”