Venue: Ryosokuin Temple, Kyoto
Dates : October 14, 15, 16, 2022
IV – Singularity is a solo cello performance with spatialized sound.
It is the fourth movement of the symphony Consciousness: A String Theory Symphony.
In astrophysics and gravitational physics, a “singularity” refers to certain points in space-time where the usual laws of physics break down. But could humanity itself be a singularity in the universe? Did the laws of physics always apply when it came to free will, love, or artistic creation?
This performance invited the audience on an immersive musical introspection. The Ryosokuin Temple, illuminated for the occasion, served as a vast resonator, allowing the cello’s sound waves to flow through its wooden structure.
Guests were encouraged to move quietly through the garden, temple, and tea house, paying close attention to the sound and its resonances. Along the garden path, echoes of the first three movements emerged, including Inside to Intersect, a ceramic sculpture by Toru Kurokawa, and images from the video Dual Resonance by Alexandre Ferdinand Maubert, featuring dancers Hidekazu Maeda, Yuki Goda, and Kyoko Nomura.
Visitors also encountered the kakejiku (hanging scrolls) created by Koji Hashimoto (depicting the universe formula) and Tadashi Fujita (illustrating String Theory and the ensō).
Composition: Yannick Paget
Cello: William Prunkl
Scientific Advisor: Koji Hashimoto
Special Collaboration: Zen Monk Toryo Ito
