Last night I had the pleasure of taking part in a panel for online presentation of Cellista’s “Finding San Jose”. Below is the poem I read and played piano for her album and project of the same title. On the panel last night too was the poem’s author, Cellista’s father, Dr. Frank Seeburger, who’d written it for his daughter, Cellista. To me, the poem represents “finding home”, which may not necessarily be a location, but a spot in one’s heart or mind. It can be a “purpose” like art or philosophy. Also, to me, is that sense of a parent seeing the same discovery in their child and reflecting back on when they too “found home”. The panel was teary-eyed to say the least mostly in part to the starring words, music and imagery, but also as result as for the past year many of us on the panel who are artists have been away from their shared homes… the stage.
Author and podcast radio host, Tony DuShane, sits down for a chat with Rykarda to discuss being… funny.
Back in December I had the pleasure to be interviewed by fellow creative, Tony DuShane (author of Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk) on his very own podcast, Drinks With Tony. The episode aired this past January. Anyhoozie, we had a lot of coffee and a lot of laughs. Enjoy!
New track by Cellista featuring Rykarda ...
Working Cellista, cellist and composer, has always been enormously fun and inspiring. Lots of talk about the architecture of sound, poetry, philosophy, delivery of one’s part – in between laughter and black tea. Her work isn’t limited to any one genre. Does not bend to convention. It’s truly free to be reckless as well as academic. It assembles many art forms in performance (I.E.: Dance, theater – Cellista herself is not limited to sitting quietly at the cello and she may stand or dance as well). I encourage you all to open up to what music and performance art can be.
Hear Cellista’s most recent album here: Transfiguration by Cellist available here >
Venice Field Recordings
We talk a lot about music, but do we talk about sound? Pleasing sounds? The details of sounds that surround us? I like to dial-in to what’s clacking and crackling around me. It’s wonderful, of course, to take scenic photos of your last vacation. When you’re snapping along – do you think about what you’re hearing as well? That beautiful church cathedral probably has an amazing echo. The limestone bricks under your dress shoe souls make an interesting tone, no? Doesn’t sound help us define depth and space?
The various waves of noise mixed in with fragrances from flowers or smokestacks always enchant me. So, as is often the case, when traveling, I record bits and pieces of things I hear and later, assemble a little collage for later. Interestingly enough I can visualize so much of what I saw just by listening.
So with that, here’s a souvenir from Venice beginning with the showstopping air-conditioners at the museum (and I’m not kidding, they were worth the price of admission) …