CONSTELLATION |
Harmonic Time Constructions

2017 - Present | Time-Focused Performance Practice

In Harmonic Time the performer is charged with not affecting change to the entirety of the performance situation for slowly evolving durations beyond what would traditionally be perceptible.

Randy Gibson performing <em>Harmonic Twilight Accretion</em> to welcome sunrise at Basilica Hudson's 24 Hour Drone
Randy Gibson performing Harmonic Twilight Accretion to welcome sunrise at Basilica Hudson's 24 Hour Drone | Photo by Richard Lovrich

The Harmonic Time Constructions are an investigation into directly affecting our perception of time. Time itself becomes tuned to the concerns of The Four Pillars by drawing extreme focus from the performer. In Harmonic Time the performer must actively perceive the entirety of the situation, from the sounds they are making, to the feeling in the room, to the light, the actions of the audience, the actions of the other performers.

In addition to the typical concerns of a performer - pitch, timbre, rhythm, touch - the performer in an Harmonic Time Construction must act both at the micro- and macro-scopic level, resetting their internalized understanding of passing time with each perceived change.

Time is intimately related to change. It is only through change that we understand that time is passing - we see the clock, the sun rises and sets, the seasons come and go. By imperceptibly controlling and altering the time units that are being perceived by the performer, I directly alter the notion of change. As we focus more and more deeply on perceiving any change we become acutely aware of all change around us, and - as performers - we begin to filter those changes, negotiate with them. It is a deeply personal experience that recontextualizes everything about what it means to perform.


Harmonic Time was first hypothesized in the months following the world premiere of Apparitions of The 27:28 Symmetry under The 72:81:88 Differential Cirrus. The experience of rehearsing and then performing this work with ChampdAction led to the understanding that the balance of sound and silence could directly alter the feeling of time passing in a performance.

Works in the constellation Harmonic Time Constructions


The Four Pillars Breathing in Harmonic Time

2022 | Two Flutes, Pre-recorded Flutes, Sine Waves, and Video | ca. 3 hours
World Premiere: No. 2 Vance, Memphis - December 14th, 2022
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Distant Pillars, Private Pillars

2020 | Field Recordings, Sine Waves, and Musicians | 81 Minutes
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One Work

2020 | Site-conditioned piano samples, field recordings, algorithmic process | open duration
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Expanding Rhythms in Harmonic Time

2019 | Bass Drum and Harmonic Filters | ca. 24 Minutes
World Premiere: SUNY Purchase, New York - October 14th, 2019
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Pythagorean Traversal in Harmonic Time

2019 | Sine Waves | 54 Minutes
World Premiere: Sotheby's Institute of Art - May 7th, 2019
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Dual Resonance in Harmonic Time

2018 | Two Gongs | ca. 54 Minutes
World Premiere: Wesleyan University - December 6th, 2018
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Harmonic Twilight Accretion

2018 | Earth Gong, Harmonic Resonators, Natural Light | 56 Minutes
World Premiere: 24 Hour Drone - Basilica Hudson, New York - April 29th, 2018
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The Third Pillar in Primal Imperfect Palindrome with The Souvenir of The Second Pillar, The Floating Cirrus over the Pumping Slush, and The Highest Moving Chordal Motif from Apparitions of The Four Pillars

2011-12, revised 2018 | Live Performance, Trombone, Sine Waves, Harmonic Delay Structures, Time | 198 Minutes
World Premiere: Avant Music Festival - Wild Project, New York, NY - February 27th, 2012
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Catalog Differential Apparition: 72:81:88

2017 | Trombone and Pre-Recorded Trombone (on Cassette) | 11 Minutes
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The Four Pillars Appearing from The Resonating Discs invoking The 72:81:88 Confluence

2017 | Three Percussionists and Harmonic Resonators | 81 Minutes
World Premiere: Wild Project, New York City - April 11th, 2017
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