Meredith jane monk born november 20, 1942 is an american composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker, and choreographer. A daring display of vocal gymnastics and a journey back to childhood when all sounds were wondrous, turtle dreams includes the title track composition for four voices two men, two women and four organs as well as shorter pieces featuring various combinations of voice, casio, piano, minimoog, and didgeridoo. Music profile for meredith monk, born 20 november 1942. Meredith monk voice, organ, piano, minimoog, casio. What thread runs through meredith monks works in film, musictheater. One of her films, book of days, was a visceral flirtation with a. Esters song composed for fear and loathing in gotham, a theatre piece by ping chong. Composed by meredith monk, performed by her and her vocal ensemble.
Considered one of the most unique and influential artists of our time, meredith monk has been a pioneer of interdisciplinary work for over 50 years. Interview with meredith monk about turtle dreams cabaret. Stream turtle dreams by meredith monk and tens of millions of other songs on all your devices with amazon music unlimited. Since the 1960s, monk has created multidisciplinary works which combine music, theatre, and dance, recording extensively for ecm records. I use center in the largest sense of the wo merce cunningham, the american merce cunningham born 1919 was a solo dancer of commanding presence, a controversial choreographer, an influential teacher, and an org alvin ailey jr, ailey, alvin december 1, 1989 born in. Turtle dreams is an album by american composer and vocalist meredith monk recorded in 1983 and released on the ecm new series label. What emerges is a suite of songs that flows with a. In 1991, monk composed an opera called atlas, commissioned and produced by. Meredith monk is known for her avantgarde music and performance, but did. Screenings will include 16 millimeter earrings 1966, book of days 1988, ellis island 1981, turtle dreams 1983, paris 1982, and several of monks short silent films 19661994. Turtle dreams was recorded for television in 1983, and incorporated monks interpretation of postmodern movement, as well as her own music, which took multi layered vocals and minimal droning instrumental music to set the mood for the entire piece.
In meredith monks classic featurelength film book of days, time plays. Turtle dreams 1983 do you be 1987 book of days 1990 professional ratings. A guide to meredith monks music music the guardian. Memory game is both a look back at a pivotal point in meredith monks storied career, and a richly layered portrait of how vocal music, under the guidance of an indefatigable master, can play with our expectations in poignant and compelling ways. Her career spans over 40 years, and she continues to teach, perform and compose. Meredith monk turtle dreams meredith monk voice, piano, organ, minimoog, casio andrea goodman voice paul langland voice robert een voice julius eastman organ steve lockwood organ collin walcott organ, didjeridoo recorded junejuly 1982 and january 1983 in new york and ludwigsburg engineers. The track turtle dreams immediately became a success and made meredith monk one of the fastest growing artists at that time. Meredith monk turtle dreams shot by ping chong, fixed audio duration. Pablo vela is the mc for meredith monk s turtle dreams cabaret, 1984. Meredith monk ascolta su deezer musica in streaming.
A pioneer in what is now called extended vocal technique. He stands at a mike on one side of the stage while a. November 20, 1942, new york city is a composer, singer, directorchoreographer and creator of new opera, musictheater works, films and installations. Monks work raises smiles as well as the hair on the back of the neck. Pablo vela is the mc for meredith monks turtle dreams cabaret, 1984. Monk studied piano and eurythmics from an early age. Your heroine, the little girl in book of days, foresees the future. In the 80s monk found musical concerts to be boring, so she began to incorporate simplified movements into her work without introducing an entire theatrical element. Turtle dreams was created in the period when i was thinking about the artist as. Meredith monk, american performance artist, a pioneer in the avantgarde, whose work skillfully integrated diverse performance disciplines and media.
An original film composed of scenes projected live during meredith monks specimen days. Monk combined dance, physical gestures, motion pictures, video, dialogue, her own music and vocalizations, as well as props and sets, to create multimedia theatrical spectacles. Turtle dreams robert withers, meredith monk, 1981, 1987. Mercy by meredith monk and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Born 1942, new york, based in new york meredith monk is a composer, singer, choreographer of opera, theatre, films and installations. I really love the gloves on the synth player, as well as the expressions on the performers faces. A choreographed version of the work premiered at the plexus club in chelsea, new york and a film version, directed by ping chong, was broadcast the same year on wgbh television in boston, massachusetts. For some of the selected works, this is not their first reimagining at the hands of their creator. Recognized as one of the most unique and influential artists of our time, she is a pioneer in what is now called extended vocal technique and interdisciplinary. Since graduating from sarah lawrence college in 1964, she has created more than 80 musictheaterdance and film works.
Albums include dolmen music, turtle dreams, and the big lebowski. Monks is a music of connection, a bringing together of many different art forms and experiences a process of fusion that she described as a deep psychic need for her to accomplish. In advance of the voice is a language screening programme launching at tramway 16 april, here is a clip of meredith monks turtle dreams, 1984, directed by ping chong. The original materials for memory game date back to monks 1983 work the games. The original materials for memory game date back to monk s 1983 work the games. He stands at a mike on one side of the stage while a couple of electric keyboards stand on the other.
Meredith monk by meredith monk book the sensual nature of sound. John kilgore, thomas lazarus howard kaufman, phil lee, m. Turtle dreams waltz and view 2 composed for turtle dreams, a musical theatre piece by meredith monk. With music streaming on deezer you can discover more than 56 million tracks, create your own playlists, and share your favourite tracks with your friends. A science fiction opera and her albums turtle dreams 1983 and do you be 1987.
A pioneer in performance art, who takes an interdisciplinary approach to creativity and has excelled in a variety of forms. Meredith monk a pioneer in what is now called extended vocal technique and interdisciplinary performance, monk is the fourth generation singer in her family. Meredith monk turtle dreams shot by ping chong, fixed. An original film composed of scenes projected live during meredith monk s specimen days. Meredith monk, monk, meredith vocalist, composer, choreographer the center is the voice, and the center is the i music. Meredith monk american performance artist britannica. Meredith monk appeared on the classical scene with the appearance of the album turtle dreams published on november 30, 1982. Meredith monk biography, albums, streaming links allmusic.