Notes Vol. 7

Albums and big-picture thoughts

Way back in 2019, I read an article about ancient stone lithophones on Colorado Public Radio. I was so intrigued that I met the archeologist Marilyn Martorano who stewards the stones. They’re up to 6000 years old—and they play distinct music pitches when struck. Not much else is known about their original function. I did a lot of research trying to see if anyone knew anything more, but no luck.

Fast forward to 2023, where the percussion trio Perc Ens asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a new work for their group, and I suggested…maybe they’d be able to play these stones in a work? They were stoked, of course. We got permission, and made a road trip out to the TANK Center for Sonic Arts to record an album (a wild reverberant structure/former water tank/recording space in Western CO).

Perc Ens at the Tank in Rangely, CO with stone lithophone setups and album cover.

Fast forward again to right now, when that album is finally coming to fruition as a vinyl album released Sept 26—physical vinyl! My first work actually in this format, along with some other Perc Ens + Nathan Hall pieces. If you’re in Denver, join us 9/26 at FM for a release party and performance!

In case you missed, it, my solo record from this summer is also out. Greenland Diary arrived mid-July. It’s multi-genre, full of sounds of my residency last fall in…Greenland… with piano music, ice melting, sound collages, and one track of me playing junk from the landfill.

Making these two albums while also having an art studio at RedLine also got me thinking big-picture thoughts. The “art world” has generally accepted my work more than the “music world”. A friend posited: would I get more opportunities from the “music” world if I present myself more as a COMPOSER versus COMPOSER + ARTIST? Should I make a separate website for my “classical” music? Would there be any fewer opportunities if I left out COMPOSER and just put ARTIST? What do you think?

I haven’t figured it out yet.

At the same time I did get to revise a little artist statement, trying to simplify down to: “artist and composer who explores sound, site, and sexuality”. This encompasses almost everything I have explored.

Current studio views...bells, piano, and getting spicy while also doing kareoke.

Personally, it makes sense to me to have a broad concept of my work. I do whatever inspires and leads me! And sometimes whatever might pay the bills! But sometimes, it’s also nice to go “he makes cool music” or “he makes installations”.

Here’s some now-things and soon-things for you to check out.

Now-Things:

COllage at Arvada Center for the Arts. My sound installation ‘Listening Back, Listening Forward’ is up til Nov 9. Happy to make a date with you if you’d like to see it together!

Soon-Things:

Sept 26: ‘Gentle Worship’ album release at FM

Oct 10: Opening of ‘Rock Music’ (har har), my small solo show of graphic scores at Joshua Tree National Park. Black Rock Art Gallery. Up til Jan 2026.

Oct 26: Opening of ‘The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism' where I will have three original soundscapes as part of this blockbuster painting show.

2026: I have an oboe commission consortium piece in the works for oboist M. Isaac Ripple. If you play the oboe or the piano and want to be a part of the consortium to help premiere it, sign up here!

Much love,

Nathan