Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library

Rumor is a musical exploration that delves into the realm of rumors – the subtle whispers, the cascading flow, and the transformative nature of information as it traverses through human interaction. This piece seeks to encapsulate the essence of rumors, utilizing graphic notation as a vehicle to convey the fluidity, ambiguity, and evolving nature of these often-mischievous whispers.

Through the absence of traditional musical notation and the employment of graphic scores, Rumor encourages performers to interpret and communicate the essence of rumors in a non-linear, imaginative, and open-ended manner. The score consists of visual cues, symbols, shapes, and patterns that prompt the musician(s) to respond intuitively, embracing spontaneity and allowing for creative interpretation.

Just as rumors mutate and evolve, the performers in Rumor are encouraged to embrace improvisation, responding to the graphical prompts with a sense of curiosity, unpredictability, and interconnectedness. The piece unfolds as a sonic representation of the lifecycle of rumors, from their subtle inception to their eventual amplification, distortion, and dissipation.

Each performance of Rumor is a unique journey, as the musicians engage in a collaborative dialogue, passing musical motifs, gestures, and sonic fragments among themselves akin to the propagation of rumors within social circles. The piece thrives on the interplay of instruments (whether solo, duet, trio, or more), inviting performers to experiment with textures, timbres, and dynamics, creating an ever-evolving musical narrative that mirrors the intriguing and mysterious nature of rumors.

In Rumor, the boundaries between truth and fiction blur, inviting the audience to contemplate the pervasive nature of information, its transformative power, and the impact it has on our perceptions and interactions within society.

 This music score was submitted for Resonate 2024: An Open Access Call for Scores by the UCLA Music Library with Bent Frequency and Jan Berry Baker.