Cymatic
Studies
Premiere The Miller Theater at Columbia University, April 2023
Cast Emma Danon, Dominique Jenssen, Robert Mulvey, Sasha Perkins, Caitlin Rogers, Ashlynn Rutherford
Music Steve Reich, Danny Elfman for Third Coast Percussion
Length 8 minutes
Commissioned by Columbia Ballet Collaborative
Cymatics is the study of wave phenomena, specifically how sound and vibration manifest visually. Inspired by the movement of Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the echo of mallet instruments, and percussionist Evelyn Glennie’s 2003 talk “How To Truly Listen,” this piece illustrates how—beyond what we hear— sound resonates in the body, impacting us on a tactile level.