Almost (2019-2020)
“Biggs’ composition for the Israeli Chamber Project, almost (2019-2020) is a piece for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, ‘constructed around the simple idea of sonic representations of different kinds of falling motions […].’ Biggs is inspired by how distinct sounds and gestures collide, cohere, and coalesce to form evocative shapes from which meanings and emotions can emerge in an audience’s perception. ‘All of my work aims to incorporate a sense of organicity, corporeality, and interactivity […].’ Biggs was inspired to have the whole ensemble act as a single organism, ‘whose behavior is rendered audible by the interplay of the different performers’ actions’,’’ (Cornell Music Department Website)
pour Radigue (2022)
Pour Radigue is an improvisation on the Behringer 2600 (a remake of the ARP 2600, which condensed the modules from the 2500 into a self-standing commercial unit), intended as a pastiche and homage to Éliane Radigue’s synthesizer work. Following Radigue’s own working method, I recorded myself improvising on the instrument and then combined these improvisations to create a fixed work.
sound blocks for mulholland duo (2021)
( Binaural Version – please use headphones! )
Sound Blocks for Mulholland Duo (2021) emerged from three recorded improvisation sessions with a bass clarinet and double bass duo. The performers were offered a variety of iterative prompts – from graphic scores to earpiece cues containing material they had recorded previously – and with these, improvised extraordinary portraits of their respective instruments. Several thousand samples come together to form dense contrapuntal shapes from which a lifelike organicity emerges. I imagine small, busy creatures navigating and interacting with a demanding, and sometimes overwhelming, environment.
On Love (An Animated Zine) (2021)
by Mitchell Gilbert Messina and Josh Biggs
Produced collaboratively by Mitchell Gilbert Messina and Joshua Biggs “On Love: A zine” exists both as a static and animated zine, and looks at the theme of LOVE through the lens of art practice and work. (CKR) For a “Behind the Zines” look at and listen to the zine’s making, see the Instagram post at this link.
joshua biggs 