Show Us How To Live

Show Us How To Live
Baljinder Singh Sekhon, II (composer)
Percussion @ Penn State
December 4, 2024
Penn State Percussion Ensemble
Lee Hinkle, director
Percussion Ensemble (9 players)
Program Notes:
“It's the movies that have really been running things in America ever since they were invented. They show you what to do, how to do it, when to do it, how to feel about it, and how to look how you feel about it.”
-Andy Warhol
Show Us How To Live is a theatrical work that addresses performativity in our society and combines predetermined musical structures, improvisation, indeterminacy, acting, mimicry, and theater. The work requires each percussionist to have a laptop for triggering a video notation consisting of a person moving on the screen. The video notation is presented in a series of “scenes” that consist of a range of actions from musicians performing to typical actions and gestures found throughout society. In addition, each video includes musical instructions such as pitch collections, rhythmic suggestions, and dynamics. Each percussionist follows a different synchronized video. The work includes a variety of stylistic ideas, from very beat-oriented music to more silent actions to a free flowing fabric of sound and movement. We are constantly learning how to act from each other, from mannerisms to fashion, and the trends that permeate our society can range from absurd to serious. This work highlights this characteristic of humanity and draw attention to all aspects of it.

[@MrHandleman123]

First View! Jaybird for the win!

[@MrHandleman123]

What is happening? Everyone is shrugging! What an unexpected thing to see.

[@MrHandleman123]

Just read the description. I’m glad I read it after viewing. The entire time I was thinking someone was off screen being exasperated and the percussionists were like, 🤷‍♂️.