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Canto de Todes

"Dorian Wood reveals her complex, beautiful self in 12 hours of music." - Los Angeles Times

"Wood’s work transcends genres and geographical borders." - INTO

ENGLISH

Dorian Wood’s Canto de Todes is an immersive 12-hour composition and installation. Inspired by a lyric of the late Chilean singer and songwriter Violeta Parra, the Creative Capital-awarded project emphasizes the urgency of folk music as a vessel for social change.

 

A genre-defying canon of songs arriving as a long-durational spatial experience, the work is divided into three movements. The first and third movements are hour-long chamber pieces influenced by folk, popular, and experimental music. The second movement is a 10-hour pre-recorded piece unfolding throughout multiple spaces within the hosting venue.

 

Canto de Todes upends the expectation of the rigidness often associated with witnessing chamber music performances by offering a welcoming space that allows individuals to project their personal, communal joys, and traumas. It is a collaborative work with local artists who are invited to permanently incorporate their respective visions into the body of this evolving piece. 

ESPAÑOL

Canto de Todes de Dorian Wood es una composición e instalación inmersiva de 12 horas. Inspirado en una letra de la legendaria cantante y compositora chilena Violeta Parra, el proyecto premiado de Creative Capital enfatiza la urgencia de la música folclórica como vehículo para el cambio social.

 

Un canon de canciones que desafía el género y llega como una experiencia espacial de larga duración, la obra se divide en tres movimientos. El primer y tercer movimiento son piezas de cámara de una hora de duración, influenciadas por la música folclórica, popular y experimental. El segundo movimiento es una pieza pregrabada de 10 horas que se desarrolla en múltiples espacios dentro del lugar anfitrión.

 

Canto de Todes supera la expectativa de la rigidez que a menudo se asocia con presenciar actuaciones de música de cámara al ofrecer un espacio acogedor que permite a las personas proyectar sus alegrías y traumas personales y comunitarias. Es un trabajo colaborativo con artistas locales que están invitades a incorporar permanentemente sus respectivas visiones en el cuerpo de esta pieza en evolución.

Canto de Todes invites collaborations from artists local to each hosting city.
Past collaborators include:

 

Adrián Cortés
Alberto Méndez Sena

Alexander Noice

April Guthrie

Bob Liepman
Carmina Escobar

Christopher Votek
Dieu-Thao Duong
Digliana Sena Adames
Dylan McLaughlin
Elena Powell

Emily Elkin
Erin Brandt

Henna Chou
Julián Fallas
Kafele Williams
Luis Díez
Maria Reyes Vazquez

Michael Corwin
Milagros Matos
Rachel Tobin
Ricardo Montilla
Roco Córdova
Rossin Nova
Sir Beauregard Elliot
Sophia Potter

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS

Dorian Wood - Canto de Todes, Movement I (Excerpt)
14:21

Dorian Wood - Canto de Todes, Movement I (Excerpt)

Dorian Wood’s Canto de Todes is an immersive 12-hour composition and installation. Inspired by a lyric of the late Chilean singer and songwriter Violeta Parra, the Creative Capital-awarded project emphasizes the urgency of folk music as a vessel for social change. https://www.dorianwood.com/cantodetodes Movement I Dorian Wood: voice Alexander Noice: guitar Sophia Potter: cello Performed at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, May 6, 2023 Canto de Todes, composed by Dorian Wood Copyright 2023 Why Are You Doing This Music (ASCAP) Video recorded by Dan Thompson Audio recorded by Keith Rodger Edited by Dorian Wood hey god you want i should be a lamb of rising flesh of bitter salt of colored glass god say what god damn you want i should steal some bread and break it down into a vision a dirty cloud god cum cloud god cum cloud we here we are cold rapturous dust it is beginning no wasted thoughts no screeching halt no tidying up no time at all here's my claw where words cannot strain your eyes love ponder clearly ponder long why here now and for who it's coming and where it's gone and why we took it sitting down for so long strain your eyes love so you warble out a sermon from which to hang your skin so foggy damp to tempt you in o how i love that you love me and how we love to see it breathe a love that flexes petals over its leaves a root of tributary weakened knees and who is romance for you plead strain your eyes love you my friend today but seer forever babe so very here to hold you bent and burdened in this space we stare down at those who deny the cloud riddled with anger and pox and things the hearts they keep in cupboards deep with fascist beans and other shapeless antiquities i knew the moment you'd arrived you'd disappeared from space and time you prepped the cannons and raised the gate and batter-rammed right through my heart so i want this world for you to twist to serve with sweaty open fist to position gently on my cheek as kisses do and kisses should and you go cleaving through this wood as if the wind caused hell to move as if the ocean spray was you as if your shout could clear this room strain your eyes love strain your eyes love strain your eyes love strain your eyes strain your eyes strain your eyes but you bring a noose tho it's not a noose so it's not a portal so it won't lead you away from pain no strain your eyes strain your eyes strain your eyes love just be still my love just be still my love you're all i've got

ADDITIONAL VIDEOS

PHOTOS

Canto de Todes was made possible with support from:

Creative Capital

Foundation for Contemporary Arts

National Association of Latino Arts and Culture

Los Angeles County Performing Arts Recovery Grant

Loghaven Artist Residency

MacDowell

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