Responses for Strings: Compositional Process and Trauma
Disclaimer: This work tackles sensitive and distressing subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.
How can we create in order to depict global tragedies? How can one person create on themes that they have no personal connection to? The way in which we interact and engage with tragedy in itself, has the potential to cause both positive and negative effects on both the creator, the receiver, and the wider society. In a world where cancel culture and new revelations into mental well-being and mental health support have emerged to the forefront of many it now seems important to explore how creators can engage with tragedy. In particular with the moral and ethical implications of doing so.
Looking at how we talk about tragedy in society, it is important to note how different regions, cultures, nations, and social groups, discuss such events, transferring knowledge to others, and keeping their memories and legacies of such events in the public sphere. However, as time moves forward, and technology increases in use where are debates on going as to how to engage, reflect, and behave, when dealing with tragic events, and the trauma that persists in the aftermath. This debate includes the nature of selfie photography at tragedy sites and memorials. Furthermore, it is important to recognize and research the potential for exploitation in the creation of tragedy works, including self-exploitation. With these considerations in place, one questions, the balance between personal expression, tragedy, and the exploitation that can arise from the creation of tragedy works.
This project and poster outlines my process in creating a body of work, ‘Responses for Strings’ (Banymandhub, 2024a), and how the work was created as both a form of individual processing and public release. This work was created in preparation for a composition workshop taking place over five days in January 2024. Due to the nature of the workshop, the works included a composition for string orchestra, and a composition for violin, viola, and cello. A subsequent trio of miniatures were created to complete this body of work, which was presented as a series of scores.
Encapsulating these themes into my process, I have used this project in order to refine my model for practice-led-research in the creation of tragedy works; with particular attention given to the well-being of the creator in this process.
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