What follows below are links to complete realizations of the piece, YouTube videos with chapter divisions to allow one to root around and find places of interest. Each realization ends with a complete run of the pieces the co-composers helped to create. Access the index by watching on YouTube, clicking "more" in the information area under the video, and click the final index to listen to the complete piece. The realizations are presented in reverse chronological order.
Groundhog Night, an introduction
This brief introduction to Groundhog Night was delivered at Maynard High School on February 12, 2024. It pretty succinctly reveals the essence of the experience.
Realization at Maynard High School
The sixth performance was at Maynard High School, with Laura Thomas (voice), Eva Montgomery-Morrison (clarinet) and Vivian Montgomery (accordion) performing. The co-composers did a fine job directing the piece's unfolding, and the audience was very receptive, participating enthusiastically. Read some of their comments on what they liked and learned here.
Realization at Tufts University
The fifth performance was at Tufts University (on Groundhog Day 2024!), with Joshua Rajman (voice), Glenn Dickson (clarinet) and Michael McDonald (accordion) performing. This realization, during a 2.5-hour composer colloquium, was preceded by a fairly lengthy exploration of the score, which served as a rehearsal for the group (dubbed Flex/Flux Ensemble by my host, John McDonald). Any college-level organization considering hosting a realization of Groundhog Night might want to view the second video here ("rehearsal") as well as the "performance" one, as the interchanges between audience, performers, co-composers and organizers demonstrate well the kind of learning experience such an event delivers. (In the performance run, we omitted GN 3.2, as we were running out of time and it had been well-altered in the rehearsal run.)
Performance video:
Rehearsal video:
Realization at Somerville High School
The fourth performance was at Somerville High School, with Laura Thomas (voice), Rebeccas Strauss (viola) and Vivian Montgomery (accordion) performing. We had difficulties with wifi, so the energy ratings displayed in the video came in after the performance was over. You'll notice an edit here or there to remove time spent searching for wifi solutions, and the ratings spoken of in the video don't always match what came in later. I (JHM) think the music shaped by the co-composers came out well.
Realization at Housing Works
The third performance was at Housing Works CA, a housing-first residence for formerly unhoused people. Students from the composition class of John Kennedy at California State University - Los Angeles form the ensemble — some experiencing experimental performance for the first time — with residents and staff forming the co-composer group. Given that many recently-housed people do not have smartphones, an essential tool for gathering energy ratings, this iteration of the piece utilizes old-fashioned means of gathering those reactions. Though the camera is focussed on the ensemble and co-composers, if you listen carefully you will hear the prompts and responses as Nancy Delira of Housing Works gathers responses while I work with the co-composers and players.
Realization at Divergent Studio
The second performance took place at a composer institute, Divergent Studio, with aspiring composers acting as co-composers. The lighting is poor here, but it is still possible to witness the interaction and performance! The link below will take you to the beginning of the interactive realization. I've left the beginning of the video intact in case you wish to view that, for it is witness to the first time these performers engaged with the music!
Video of premiere
The first performance was in Los Angeles, by the commissioning ensemble, Kin of the Moon, with the addition of the ensemble Strange Interlude. It is due to the vision of Kaley Eaton, who enthusiastically endorsed the idea of a piece that would enact a real-time version of Just Listening that is in essence a demonstration of the Sound-Energy Aggregate, that the piece came about. I am deeply indebted to Kaley and the members of the combined ensemble, Strange Moon.
The video has indexed chapters. Start from the beginning for the full performance, wiith co-composer interactions and energy ratings, or skip around as you wish.