Research and Results

After slinking and sleuthing, I've finally struck gold. Though many avenues of exploration proved unfruitful, Kent Devereaux of the music department has pointed me in the direction of Joshua Kohl and the Degenerate Art Ensemble. You can read more about them here.

This fantastic group including a number of Cornish alumni from multiple departments tours with their experimental performance art from here in Seattle to as far away as Prague. The Frye Art Museum will have an exhibit dedicated to DAE running March through June, and they will be world premiering their new 'Red Shoes Project' (based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen) in and around the Frye starting May 12th.

The aforementioned Cornish alumnus Joshua Kohl composes music for the project combined with his colleagues' offerings of butoh dance, installation sculpture, Korean shaman percussion and video art--a perfect C.A.M.W.O.M.P. if ever there was one.

C.A.M.W.O.M.P.

The research proposition, acronym, defender of the faith and all around good idea known as C.A.M.W.O.M.P. is here! Over the next few months, I'll be documenting my research into the exciting field of...

Cornish Alumni Musicians

Working On Multimedia Projects

I can hear the excitement already, with such encouraging imaginary epithets as "Umm... okay," "That sounds cool, I guess," and "But Josh... what does that even mean?" Well, Michael (I'm assuming he'd be the one to ask that last question,) let me begin by explaining what I mean by a 'Multimedia Project.' The 'M. P.' portion of my abbreviated moniker that sounds more like an obscure failure of a dessert recipe refers to long or short-term endeavors these musicians collaborate on with artists in other fields. This could be anything from pianists who work with dance companies to composers for film to music or musicians performing in bizarre, hybrid installation sculptures; as long as it smashes music and another art together like a Swiss scientist looking for the Higgs-Boson, it's good in my book.

As for the rest, my research will ignore all those pesky reputable, established artists and focus on Cornish alumni. Like Richelle Gay, who after graduating from the music department in 2007 formed Off Broadway Seattle, a production company offering Cotton Club-style entertainment in a souffle of music, theatre and dance acts alongside delicious cuisine. Just one example of the imaginative and successful people pouring out of everyone's favorite arts exploratory every year.

As time goes by (to reference Casablanca,) I'll be updating this blog with my new discoveries, interviews and ideas relating to C.A.M.W.O.M.P., so check back every now and then to see what else is cooking. For now, here's a picture of a kitten.