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.

Four Statements on Attention

Bach Study

Impossible Mirror

Refracted