SURREALITY, DREAMS, AND THE UNCONSCIOUS
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Artist Statement by NO EXIT: What’s in a dream? For the Surrealists, a lot. They believed that the rationalism of modern society stifled and ultimately suppressed the imagination. Surrealists sought to tap into the unconscious mind, that part of ourselves which is not bound by reason and logic, and not subject to the taboos and morals dictated by society. In doing so, they endeavored to unleash the power of the imagination and access a superior reality (sur réalisme). This would be a new kind of emancipation, one in which the creativity of the unconscious mind is unshackled and boundless.
Perhaps the most important source of inspiration for the Surrealists was Sigmund Freud. For a movement devoted to the immeasurable creative possibilities of the unconscious mind, Freud’s conception of the unconscious as a place where violence, desire, fear and conflict roamed free was an appealing prospect. In Freud’s mind, it was civilization and the rational constructs thereof that repressed these powerful drives and therefore served as the cause of maladjustment. Through psychoanalysis he hoped to address these conflicts which resided in the unconscious mind and in doing so resolve the source of neurosis and the manifestation of psychological disorder. Freud and the Surrealists were in many respects strange bedfellows. The Surrealists had no interest in the therapeutic application of Freud’s methods, and in turn Freud was bewildered at the Surrealist’s aim to apply his practices for the purpose of creating art. For the Surrealists, even madness wasn’t a negative thing as such, but rather viewed more in terms of a complete liberation of the unconscious self. Salvador Dalí once famously mused, “There is only one difference between a madman and me. I am not mad.” Of course the real goldmine was that most fertile embodiment of the unconscious, dreams. As expressed by André Breton, “Surrealism is based on the belief in the omnipotence of dreams, in the undirected play of thought." Salvador Dalí employed a method whereas he would fall asleep in a chair while holding an object, such as a ball. As he fell asleep, having only experienced a brief period of unconsciousness, he would be woken by the sound of the object falling from his hand. Then he would start his work, able to take full advantage of his sleep/awake state. Ladies and Gentleman, please sit back, enjoy and abandon logic for the duration of this presentation. PROGRAMThe Birdhouse (2023) "World Premiere"
Timothy Beyer and James Praznik breathing room (2023) "World Premiere" Luke Haaksma In Fourteen Steps (2023) "World Premiere" James Praznik Between Here and There (2023) "World Premiere" Zeitgeist and Philip Blackburn 
The Birdhouse - Timothy Beyer and James Praznik
Film is an ideal medium for the evocation of dreams. It is for this reason that I chose film as the vehicle to express the contents of my own dreamworld. The Birdhouse serves to present many of the recurring themes and revelations that have long resided in my unconscious. It is also, in part, an ode to the work of some of the early surrealists filmmakers, most notably Luis Buñuel, Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau. I want to express my most heartfelt appreciation to my very talented and brilliant collaborator, James Praznik. 
Breathing Room - Luke Haaksma
When setting out to make breathing room, I decided that using stop-motion to focus on a single character residing in subliminal space would allow me to explore the technical and aesthetic considerations I find most engaging. While there is no “one way” to interpret this character’s raison d’etre, viewers and listeners might find familiar shadows within its habits and proclivities. The music is as integral to the film as the film is to the music. All of the “foley” (sound effects) are produced by the live musicians, and the line between “film-sound” and “film-music” is in effect blurred. Bringing this piece to life with NOEXIT has been such an incredible pleasure. I’m so thankful for the expertise, insight, and genuine care they’ve offered along the way! Luke Haaksma is a composer, filmmaker, and hammered dulcimerist currently in graduate study at Yale School of Music. His music has been performed throughout the United States and abroad, and has been digitally distributed on platforms such as Score Follower. For his film work, Luke’s received the Sidney Peterson prize in experimental film from Bard College, “Best Original Score” by the Dreamachine international film festival, and Official Selections from other Montreal and Los Angeles based festivals. While an undergraduate at Bard College and Conservatory, Luke studied composition with Joan Tower, George Tsontakis, and Lera Auerbach. At Yale he studies with David Lang, Martin Bresnick, and Aaron Kernis. Luke has received awards and recognition from organizations such as the Young Concert Artists, the Wortham Center for performing arts, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters 
Since it’s inception, No Exit’s mission has been to serve as an outlet for the commission and performance of contemporary avant-garde concert music. Now in their ninth season and with over fifty commissions to date, No Exit continues to promote the music of living composers and to be an impetus for the creation of new works. They create exciting, meaningful and thought-provoking programs with the philosophy of bringing the concert hall to the community, and by presenting programs in a manner which allows for audiences to connect with the experience.
No Exit New Music Ensemble Sean Gabriel, flute; Gunnar Owen Hirthe, clarinet; Cara Tweed, violin; James Rhodes, viola; Nick Diodore, cello; Luke Rinderknecht, percussion; Rob Kovacs, piano; Timothy Beyer, Artistic Director; James Praznik, Associate Director Between Here and There - Zeitgeist
Between Here and There draws upon a well of individual, collective, and universal dreams, memories, and ancestral connections to create a "house" filled with rooms of imagery and sonic possibility. There are seven such room, including Chorale (from Parade by Eric Satie), Flying SeaWorld, Anti-Pianist, Remembrance, Pursuit/Chase, Flying Reprise. The work utilizes film imagery, musical improvisation, set pieces, and traditional, newly invented, and occasionally improbable musical instruments. It was created collaboratively by Zeitgeist members Heather Barringer, Patti Cudd, Pat O’Keefe, and Nikki Melville plus Philip Blackburn. 
Philip Blackburn was born in Cambridge, England, and studied music there as a Choral Scholar at Clare College. He earned his Ph.D. in Composition from the University of Iowa where he studied with Kenneth Gaburo and began work on publishing the Harry Partch archives. Blackburn's book, Enclosure Three: Harry Partch, won an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. He has worked at the American Composers Forum since 1991, running the innova Recordings label and developing re-granting programs and opportunities for composers.
He is also a composer/environmental sound artist and has served as teaching artist for school residencies connected with the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, creating multimedia performances using home-made instruments. Blackburn has published articles on topics such as Vietnamese, Garifuna, and Cuban music, the social dynamics of ensemble performance, and the use of sound in public art. He received a 2003 Bush Artist Fellowship and built an art-house in Belize. 
Lauded for providing “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for adventurous concertgoers,” Zeitgeist is a new music chamber ensemble comprised of two percussion, piano and woodwinds. One of the longest established new music groups in the country, Zeitgeist commissions and presents a wide variety of new music for audiences in the Twin Cities and on tour. Always eager to explore new artistic frontiers, Zeitgeist collaborates with poets, choreographers, directors, visual artists and sound artists of all types to create imaginative new work that challenges the boundaries of traditional chamber music. More
Zeitgeist Heather Barringer and Patti Cudd, percussion; Pat O’Keefe, woodwinds; Nikki Melville, piano |
