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Written by PABlo Bley aka Paul Alan Bley. Posted in The Phoenix Bird.

The Phoenix Bird 

An Experimentally Conceptualized, Multi-Sensory,"OMNIMedia" Symphony, and (Live) Performance-Art Event

including an Interactive Sound/Light Installation

INFORMATION ABOUT: The Performance Concepts, the underlying Creative Process
(including Story writing, Music composing, Programming, etc.)
Some of the Influences, the Research being done,
ongoing progress being made on the Project
and efforts to find support for the Development Costs
through Fundraising, Grants, Fellowships and Private Donations.

The Phoenix Bird Project

is founded on this premise:

Too many students of the Arts and Music, are NOT using technology to increase the scope of their participation in creative endeavors and/or in the production of their artistic expressions.

The primary purpose of The Phoenix Bird Project is to address this by developing resources for the students themselves, as well as their teachers, and to generate interest and participation from the general public, and the policy makers who are concerned with current educational practices and methods. This project will show how modern technology can assist us to exemplify the greatest creative talents of future generations.

The secondary purpose is to inform about the project itself, and by allowing people to view the inner processes of this effort...encourage private donors, locate possible funding sources and solicit valuable feedback from those who are interested.

This is the story about my journey and I appreciate the opportunity to share it with you.

- PABlo

"The End of the Beginning"

The Phoenix Bird when living, had no voice,
(Yet) when death approached, it's melody was heard;
And because the Bird, was left without a choice,
To live again, my eyes and ears could not abide the Bird's farewell
The end, in fire and flame
and wait, wait 'til it lives again;
Now see and hear that it returns,
the Phoenix Bird is here with us...at last.

  • The 4 Inclusions (or Movements) of the Multi-Sensory Symphony depict the story of the Phoenix Bird, using richly expanded communication techniques – including word descriptions, musical themes, and aspects of Special Kinetic, Sound, Light and other Sensory Effects. This will allow an unusually broad range of audience participants to receive the performance on many levels simultaneously. The dramatic implications are that these special applications of Creative Expressionism --which emphasize an increased focus on accessibility-- can go beyond all previous considerations of natural limitations for appreciation of Story Telling and the Arts. In addition, it will demonstrate that it is possible to dramatically enlarge the scope of audience interactivity with the meaningful physical events of the story, in such a way that the experience transcends normal interpretations of perception.

  • Each Inclusion has its own main theme of music, color, element, scent, and improvised performance art, which will parallel the sections of the story as it unfolds. Special Effects link the descriptive symbolizations with the musical dramatizations, and allow the fusion of narrative, ambient atmosphere and sensory stimuli to describe the progression of the events. Using the rich background of mythological references --as a way to focus the mental images brought about by the story-- clearly brings about larger-than-life scenarios that can be instrumental as a motivating and inspirational influence to comprehension of the subject matter.

  • Innovative technology will be used as a “springboard” to enhance the traditional techniques and methods for dramatization and communication of the story, allowing for the “Inclusion” of sensory impaired, or otherwise developmentally delayed children who can be afforded an opportunity to be part of the performance or to participate as members of the audience. Because this concept does not exclude anyone, the attendees of the performance (including sensory impaired individuals), will enjoy unique examples of assistive adaptations for accessing and augmenting the content of the performance presentation.

  • Different forms of assistive “boosts” for the members of the audience will integrate communication channels such as video subtitles on a background screen, with live interpreters using ASL to convey the word descriptions for hearing impaired participants. Those same audience members will also enjoy the Kinetic Effects, which will be realized by high intensity soundscapes utilizing powerful Bass and Sub-sonic vibrations to fulfill the 3 Dimensional virtual environment of the Sensory Symphony. Stimuli will also include motion depicted by movement of props and articles within the story context. Added to those same experientially enhanced techniques will be aroma and other environmental Sensory Effects such as fog, bubbles, wind, and characterized exposure to the story elements, emphasizing the events as they are dramatized by the Musical themes, and Special Sound Effects…communicating the story to those who are listening to --instead of seeing-- the presentation. Included as an assistive method, will be program notes in Braille, describing the story in word images, for the perusal of those audience members who are visually impaired.