DESCRIPTION:
Rock, Paper, Scissors - David McDonnell
Soprano Sax - David McDonnell

Program Notes (11/2/2011):

David McDonnell is currently a doctoral candidate at The University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music. Originally trained as a saxophonist, it was during his undergraduate work, that he made an abrupt shift to composition and then in the last 5 years computer music. David is currently focused on coding in languages such as MINC, for use with RTcmix, Python and C++ to create algorithms, which create music and sound. Often these sounds will be used as models for future acoustic music compositions. David currently resides in a somewhat funky corner of Cincinnati where he lives with his wife and daughter. As a release from the tedium of sitting in front of a computer all day, he keeps a vegetable garden, brews beer and plays jazz.

Rock, Paper, Scissors is a work for solo instrument, in this case soprano saxophone and computer. The interface used to trigger the computer sounds is a Max/MSP patch, which plays back 4 different families of sounds which use a fundamental pitch being played by the solo instrument at the time a sound is triggered by means of a series of 4 midi switches controlled with feet. 3 of the families of sound are each made up of 5 different RTCmix scores. The scores in each family all have similar characteristics, but the performer never knows exactly what sound the computer will make or how long it will go on, only what kind of sound it will be. The piece reminded me of trying to anticipate an opponent's next move in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, hence the title.