New Notation = New Music
I thought it might be useful to outline some of the more general aspects of these scores in the context of virtual performance. The first is, these scores are not designed as some sort of online solution to more traditional ensemble practices. Rather, they have been a way for me to try and explore different modes of music making in a way that is quite accessible from a performance standpoint. Secondly, many of these scores require each performer to develop their own sonic world, often in collaboration with the rest of the ensemble and ensemble director/instructor. In workshops and rehearsals, both in person and online, I've found this part of the process to be quite exciting, especially for students engaging with new music for the first time. And the third point, which references the second: this music and these scores are, well, new. Even in person these scores are not designed to create music that could be made with fixed notation, but to explore what else might be possible when things start moving around.
