EWU Music, Vytal Movement Collaboration Creates Media Buzz

Eastern Washington University student composer musicians were featured by KSPS, KHQ and the Inlander in advance of their collaboration with Spokane’s Vytal Movement Dance.

Translations: A collaborative evening of original music and dance featured Vytal Movement dancers performing to original music composed and played by EWU musicians. Dancers interpreted music that was composed using “data-to-music” techniques involving the DNA of donkeys, octopi, jellyfish, orchids and other organisms, influences reflecting Professor Jonathan Middleton’s innovative work in this area.

The May 16 performance was held at Spokane’s Bing Crosby Theater. 

The concert was previewed on Page 16 of the digital version of the Inlander. The KHQ interview is also available online.

In addition, Middleton and several student musicians visited the Spokane Public Radio studio for an interview and to play a selection from the Translations event. Middleton, a theory and composition professor at EWU, visited the studio with student composer Zachary Bjurstrum and instrumentalists Yunju Cho, violin, Adeline Kovell, viola, and Duff Overstreet, cello, along with Lexie Powell, Vityl Movement Dance artistic director. The group previewed the performance and played a sample from Translations. The segment is available on the KSPS website.

Middleton himself continues to gain attention for his innovative data-to-music work. He recently gave a TED Talk titled Music and New Dimensions for Data Analysis, which is published, along with a write-up, on the TEDx Spokane website.