Composition 20 builds a field of 20 performing musicians each atop their individual amplifier, uniquely creating 20 scattered sound sources. The musicians are arranged into three bands that play their own composition: two are songs commissioned especially for the High Line and a third was a leftist 80’s punk song in Hebrew.

All three songs have the same musical structure, the same four chords, musical scale, and BPM. At a point in the performance, all three bands play simultaneously. Due to their structural resemblance, a dense - yet not entirely - cacophonous musical field will be composed. As the songs seep into one another, the musicians collective shifting silhouettes form a sculptural composition that compliments the sonic one. For the audience, sound becomes physical as their movement through the field will disassemble and reassemble the songs in a musical mix that is guided by their positioning and location.

Composition 20 featured musicians Rose Blanshei (Prima), Rosana Cabán (Psychic Twin), Genevieve Chapin, Andrew Deutsch (HOME, Time Walk, Disbelief St.), Arone Dyer (Buke and Gase), Christina Files, Cindy Gooden (Very Fresh), Michael White, Monika Heidemann (Heidemann), Alanna Higgins (MOON, Gem Spa), Lola Johnson (Fisty, Quartascope), Emi Kariya (BETS, Evil Daughter), Lilah Larson, Katie Lau (Painted Zeros), Marissa Mazzotta (Circles/Waves), Lindsey-Paige McCloy (Patio), Ava Mendoza (Unnatural Ways), Kristin Mueller, Lindsay A. Powell (Fielded), Sam Blakelock, Sarah Register (Talk Normal), Jessica Segall, Noga Shefi, and Tal Zubalsky.

Photo Credit: Liz Ligon