Oases
Instrumentation: mezzo soprano, alto flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, cello, contrabass, video
Duration: 5:16
Written in: 2012
The film and music of Oases focus on the commercial world. The images were derived from advertisements (packaging, billboards, etc.), particularly ones which utilize nature, and subsequently contrasted with actual scenes from the countryside and city. The scenes represent the progression of the seasons from spring to winter. Like the film, the music is a combination of the conventional and the unconventional. The harmony is based on tonal chords, but the tuning is microtonal (based on the overtone series) and the musicians play numerous extended techniques. The title reflects the focus on nature in the film. It is also a metaphor for the intended effect of advertisements, which is to draw one’s attention through their idealized and fantastical character.