Sonorienteering

Description:

While in residence at Western Front, Scott Thomson produced Sonorienteering, a site-specific work that uses sound and cartography for the creation of an on-the-street composition and performance structured in two movements.

Sonorienteering was one in Thomson’s series of “cartographic” works in which the scores are based on maps. These works are composed for improvising performers—typically musicians and occasionally dancers—and delineate where to play, when to play, and often with whom to play, while leaving what to play up to the performers.

Guided by a map of Mount Pleasant customized by Thomson, attendees navigated to alleys, storefronts, parking lots, and sidewalks; noting the assemblages formed by topography and architecture blending with the sounds and music of each locale through intersection and collaboration. 

Between the two movements of Sonorienteering, Cheryl L'Hirondelle premiered a performance art piece developed in collaboration with Thomson to coincide with the opening reception of Western Front's exhibition Speaking in Landscape Tongues. 

Program:

First Movement: “Mount Pleasant Prelude,” 7:00 – 7:25 p.m.
Eight roving musicians followed separate but intersecting routes that converged inside Western Front. The first movement ensemble featured Steve Bagnell, Meredith Bates, JP Carter, Nikki Carter, Kate Hammett-Vaughan, Viviane Houle, and Carol Sawyer.

Performance of mocikihtatan e-nehiyawiyak, 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Cheryl L’Hirondelle's soundmaking performance took the audience beyond the spiritual, cultural, and political obstacles on the journey of learning one’s native tongue.

Second Movement: “Triangulation Methods,” 8:00 – 9:15 p.m.
The aforementioned ensemble was augmented by additional musicians Peggy Lee, Clyde Reed, Stefan Smulovitz, and dancers Julie Lebel and Jennifer Clarke. The audience dispersed back onto the sidewalks, storefronts, and public spaces of the triangular area bounded by Kingsway, Main, and Broadway, immediately west of Western Front.

Sonorienteering was presented as part of SWARM, in partnership with the Pacific Association of Artist-Run Centres.