World Premiere:

 BREAKDOWN

A sample-based hybrid opera in one act

in collaboration with Kasumi,

video/sound artist

Two performances by the

American Composers Orchestra 

Friday, February 20, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

Carnegie's Zankel Hall, New York, NY

Sunday, February 22, 2009, 7:30 p.m.

Annenberg Center for the Arts,Philadelphia, PA

In Brouwer and Kasumi's new work for experimental film and music, sampled audio/visual/film materials and live orchestral music are mixed, woven and, integrated to create a multi-layered narrative flow that reveals intriguing structural formations and compelling meanings.

Each sample is a portion or fragment of audio and visual material extracted from its original found footage source like movies or early television. These are chosen on the basis of one or more formal elements: movement, gesture, color, tempo, pitch, timbre, texture,

emotion, content, etc. Some of these samples are used to derive motivic musical material for the orchestral score. At other times the inspiration flows in reverse, as orchestral rhythms and intervals suggest the content and manner of the visual rhythms and melodies.  Sometimes an audio sample is used as an instrument, thus expanding the orchestral sound and texture.