Channelling Dulcie’s Piano: How the river taught the piano to sing
In collaboration with Vanessa Tomlinson and Greg Harm
Driving the piano from The Piano Sanctuary (Murray Bridge) to Willson’s Downfall (The Piano Mill) in an 8-day series of performances, drawing on the normally inaudible sounds of the water source that traverses these locations - The Murray, the Darling, the Baron, the Gwydir, Boonooboonoo Creek and all the tributaries, lagoons and billabongs in between.
The piano is a 1920’s Milton pianola, originally in the house of Vanessa’s Nana in Fullarton, Adelaide. The pianola action was restored in the early 1990’s, but it has since be in dis-use in a carport in Daw Park, Adelaide. In 2021 it was moved to Jesse’s Mum’s place in Murray Bridge with the intent of placing it in the newly formed Murray Bridge Piano Sanctuary. However it was decided instead to relocate the piano to the Piano Mill site where Clocked Out (Vanessa and Erik Griswold) are artist in residence.
Drawing on Vanessa and Jesse’s interest in acoustic ecology and freshwater acoustic monitoring, the multi-day composition consists of recording the water-source using hydrophones for 30 minutes; playback the recording verbatim in the performance with Vanessa and Jesse performing live with the underwater sounds, channelling the fish sounds through Dulcie’s piano.
Following the 8-day tour in May 2023, the project has taken on a variety of manifestations, including:
A three-channel video, four-channel audio installation presented at Big City Lights Festival in Southport, Gold Coast QLD, 21 June - 7 July 2024
A widescreen presentation of the Wilcannia performance, exhibited in the at Queensland College of Art and Design, as part of ISEA (International Symposium on Electronics Arts) 2024, in Meanjin/Brisbane (watch the video below in full screen)
A short paper on the project presented as part of ISEA 2024 on 26 June.
A performance of CDP at KEPK Gallery by Vanessa and Jesse on 27 June as part of ISEA 2024.
Further plans film and book are in development. Stay tuned for updates!
Day 1 – Murray Bridge SA to Murtho Forest, Renmark, SA – THE MURRAY RIVER
Day 2 – Murtho Forest, Renmark SA to Wentworth NSW – THE BAAKA/DARLING RIVER
Day 3 – Wentworth NSW to Wilcannia NSW – THE BAAKA/DARLING RIVER
Day 4 – Wentworth NSW to Cobar NSW – THE BAAKA/DARLING RIVER
Day 5 – Cobar NSW to Brewarrina NSW – THE BARWON RIVER
Day 6 – Brewarrina NSW to Moree NSW – THE MEHI/GWYDIR RIVER
Day 7 – Moree NSW to Harrigan’s Lane QLD – THE BOONOO BOONOO
