John P. Hastings

SELECT COMPOSITIONS

[Several compositions can be found on soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/johnphastings. Click on 'score' after the work to download or view the score.]

2013 — Oakland Shoreline Drone Space score with performers situated in space on the Oakland, CA shoreline
2012 — Red Hook Harmony open score blending performers with ambient sound and scored harmony [score]
2012 — HUM 7 8 9 for massed humming and singing performers at or near a power generation station or transformer [score]
2012 — terce for three percussionists (3′/9′/27′/81′/etc.) [score]
A set of parameters and a numerical grid for realizing a sounding space. Premiered by the Rootstock Ensemble at the 2012 Other Minds Festival 17 Fellowship concert.
2011 — Negative Space graphic score for any number of performers (open duration)
Graphic score reflecting the nature of space. Score and audio can be found at the Experimental Music Yearbook: http://www.experimentalmusicyearbook.com/issue-2011/table-of-contents-2011/title-john-p-hastings/
2011 — Structure (for Mies) chamber ensemble with digital drone and field recordings (open duration)
A sonic accumulation based on rational properties in the work of architect Mies van der Rohe. Released on the netlabel Absence of Wax. Download: http://devinsarno.com/absenceofwax/?p=603
2011 — Proportions graphic score for any number of performers (open duration)
Graphic score depicting proportional relationships between instruments and sound.
2010 — Symmetric Convergence for 5 performers (open duration)
Instruments slowly converge on a singularity. As they do, microtones and aural beatings occur.
2010 — tone | fieldfor at least 5 performers (open duration) [score]
An interlocking web of tones and voice leading.
2010 — bellsfor at least 4 players (open duration) [score]
An explosion or convergence of metallic sound, depending on its reading (can be performed in retrograde).
2010 — dropsfor two players (10’30″)
2010 — A Sound Map of the United StatesStereo playback (45′)
A soundtrack of the United States circa Summer 2010. Field recordings from across the country. Released by the UK based label Compost & Height: http://compostandheight.blogspot.com/2010/09/john-p-hastings-sound-map-of-united.html
2010 — For Barnett Newman At least 8 performers (open duration) [score]
An ode to artist Barnett Newman, where a soft tapestry of instrumental noise is offset by a tonal zip from the ensemble.
2010 — noise / tone / pulse / metalFor 4 performers (at least 13′)
2010 — 7/11 For two violins (2′) commissioned by Machine Project and the Hammer Museum
A new way to listen to consonance and dissonance in a matrix based on the seventh and eleventh partials.
2010 — Duo for AccordionsFor two accordions (2′) commissioned by Machine Project and the Hammer Museum
2010 — Tuba Duo for two tubas (2′) commissioned by Machine Project and the Hammer Museum
2010 — vibrationsfor 3 sustaining instruments and sine wave (18′) [score]
Based on Dan Flavin’s The Nominal Three, the piece reveals a new look at minimal structuring and greatly reductive tonal resources resulting in aleatoric phasing and beat patterns.
2009 — Solstice Chordfor stereo playback (60’)
2009 — The Rocketship in Langley Park for large ensemble (15’)
Concerns the fusion of disparate, highly charged elements (arrayed in a just intonation chord, based on Mersenne Primes) into a single disappearing source (a kind of reverse engineering of branching harmony). Audio and score can be found at the Experimental Music Yearbook: http://www.experimentalmusicyearbook.com/issue-2009/table-of-contents-2009/the-rocketship-in-langley-park-john-p-hastings/
2009 — bands for large ensemble (18’)
Using La Monte Young’s Composition No. 7 as a starting point, the piece slowly bends a perfect fifth into a myriad of microtonal worlds. Premiered by the Dogstar Orchestra in June 2009. The recording can be found here: http://soundcloud.com/human_ear/5-bands-john-p-hastings-mp3
2008 — Sonic Spiralfor 11 tunable instruments (17’)
A sound equivalent of the fibonacci series. Music and math in direct correlation.
2008 — An investigation…for seven tunable instruments (open duration) [score]
An experiment with high partials (prime numbers between the 32nd and 64th partials) and improvised stasis.
2008 — desertumfor brass quintet and percussion quartet (14’ – 21’)
The dark shadow of an Earthly paradise.
2008 — telluric currents for large ensemble (13’)
The music of the spheres, sounded with a low Bb.
2007 — Fjordfor contrabass quartet (12’) [score]
A study in shifting stasis.
2006 — THIAHfor stereo playback (12’)
2000 — Across the Dividefor stereo playback (4’)
A sonic triptych regarding longing and separation. Realized at the Virginia Center for Computer Music.

Compositions have been performed at the wulf. (Los Angeles, CA), Roy O. Disney Hall (Valencia, CA), The Wild Beast Pavilion (Valencia, CA), Hammer Museum (Los Angeles, CA), Meridian Gallery (San Francisco, CA), the LAB (San Francisco, CA), Festival of New American Music Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA, Old Cabel Hall (Charlottesville, VA), Ontological-Hysteric Theater / Incubator Arts Project (New York, NY) Presents Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Glasslands Gallery (Brooklyn, NY), Willow Place Auditorium / S.E.M. Ensemble (Brooklyn, NY), and ISSUE Project Room (Brooklyn, NY).

ENSEMBLE 303

I perform in a group called Ensemble 303 with Casey Thomas Anderson. The impetus of the group was to perform new and classic works in the experimental music tradition. We are attempting to perform every quarter, or four times a year at least (with maybe a little tour thrown in here or there). Currently we have done six performances, including one of Cornelius Cardew’s Treatise. We self-released this and it can be found at CDBaby as well as iTunes. We have performed works by: George Brecht, Earle Brown, Ulrich Krieger, Michael Pisaro, Steve Reich, Tomas Schmit, Karlheinz Stockhausen, James Tenney, La Monte Young and Christian Wolff.

UTRIS

The music for my old pop/rock band, Utris, can be found at CDBaby and iTunes.