Oz Arts
Ambassador Spotlight
Earlier this month, I had the privilege of performing alongside my peers with Tracy Silverman at OZ Arts. Tracy, who has been called “the greatest living exponent of the electric violin” by BBC Radio, performed his concerto Love Song to the Sun accompanied by the Blair School of Music’s Orchestra as part of OZ Arts’ TNT (Thursday Night Things) Local Spotlight Series. Love Song to the Sun is a six-part musical score that dictates the story of the day-long lifespan of a tiny insect through music. Constructed media design by Todd Winkler accompanied the performance utilizing interactive projections.
OZ Arts is a destination for innovative contemporary art experiences. The Ozgeners, founders of CAO Cigars, sold their company and converted their former headquarters into the non-profit cultural institution, OZ Arts. The family is internationally recognized for innovation in their entrepreneurial endeavors. The center is a gift-back to the city and country that have been so hospitable to them as first-generation, Turkish-Armenian immigrants. OZ Arts has a mission to “support the creation, development and presentation of significant performing and visual art works by leading artists whose contribution influences the advancement of their field”.
Tracy Silverman is truly an innovator as well. He reinvented the traditional violin concerto in an exciting and meaningful way that reflects the richness of our contemporary American musical culture, working outside the classical box to create a vibrant orchestral experience. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, and former member of the acclaimed Turtle Island String Quartet.
Todd Winkler is a composer and multimedia artist on faculty at Brown University, where he is co-director of MEME (Multimedia and Electronic Music Experiments). His work explores ways in which human actions can affect sound and images produced by computers in multimedia dance/theatre productions, interactive video installations, and concert pieces for computers and instruments. He has an interest in research that bridges the fields of music, video art, cognitive science and dance/theatre.
This performance reaffirmed my beliefs in the values of interdisciplinary collaboration. With my own explorations in engineering and music, I have realized that when taken in isolation, these academic fields are less meaningful than when taken as a whole. This sort of thinking and approach defines true innovation and I am so excited to be a part of it.
Olivia Steinmetz
Student Ambassador