MiShinnah Productions

"Remember the Spoken Word "

s o n i c   p e r f o r m a n c e   

Artists have the power to transform themselves and others through the process of making art.

We have a responsibility to be aware of our physical surroundings, to be informed of the reality in world situations and in the human condition. We must strive to be scientists by discovering a new world and a new language. We have a social responsibility to incorporate the use of new technology into our work, just as modern science, business and education has-not as a defensive reaction to our changing technology, but as an integrated leader.-Elise Kermani, artistic director

 

CURRENT PROJECTS:

The JOCASTA Project: Film and Audio DVD (IshtarLab CD303) Jocasta is a 52 minute experiemntal narrative inspired by Euripides' play "The Phoenician Women". It is available as an 5.1 surround sound audio DVDfor radio broadcast and as a high definition video DVD for television. For more information see http://elisekermani.com/jocasta.html

PAST PROJECTS:

The dice Project: a compact disc collection of experimental vocalists released on the Ishtar Record label and produced by MiShinnah Productions, curated by Elise Kermani. The participants are available for performance in various from ranging from solo performance to band and ensemble work. MiShinnah Productions can curate an evening of music with women composers from the collection and also involve local women composers for workshops, lectures and panel discussions. Special interest in working with university level students and women's groups.

dice held mini-performance festivals at the Knitting Factory (1993) and at The Kitchen (1997). The compact disc has had favorable reviews in music magazines worldwide and can be heard on radio stations internationally. The first dice CD was released in 1993 and dice2 was released fall 1996. dice2 is now available from Amazon.com.

dice3 was completed in fall of 2003 and has real audio samples for listening on the internet. Click here to get more information and to submit work for future dice projects.

 

TROUSERS: a new music performance trio which includes Christine Bard, percussion; Elaine Kaplinsky, keyboard; and Kermani on vocals.The music is composed collaboratively and integrates spoken vocals with textural and rhythmic layers resulting in an exciting hybrid of jazz, classical and free improvisation. In New York City Trousers has performed at The Knitting Factory, HERE theater, NADA, DIA Center for the Arts, La Mama's La Galleria, The Roulette, Context and Lotus Fine Arts, The Cooler and in many cities in Europe. Their 15 minute EP is now available from Ishtar Records. Excerpts can be heard at www.mp3.com/elise_kermani.

Quotes about Trousers:

Elise Kermani's expert yet vulnerable stage presence is complimented by her smooth and sophisticated electronic processing for one of new music's most enchanting pleasures. Add to that the on-target percussioning of Christine Bard and Elaine Kaplinsky's intense keyboard style, and you've got one of Downtown's most mesmerizing trios. -The Village Voice

TROUSERS is looking like the next big thing on the improv scene, mainly because they shuttle between sonics and propulsion in both kinetic and seductive ways. -Time Out New York

Artem(Is) Rising a multi-media performance created by Elise Kermani in collaboration with video arts ensemble, 77 Hz. Using texts ranging from the New York Times, Iran Times, the Bible , and the Koran,, the I-Ching and the Hite Report on Female Sexuality, combined with Kermani's extended vocal techniques and 77 Hz's live video processing, "Artem(is) Rising" transforms an abusive and violent language of sex into a transcendent sensual landscape defined by female desire. "Artem(Is) Rising" was premiered at the Cybertronics Festival held at The Kitchen and was restaged in March of 1996 at the Experimental Intermedia Foundation in NYC. Sections of "Artem(Is) Rising" have been performed by Kermani as a solo performance at the Marsh in San Francisco and at the Knitting Factory. Excerpts available on CD-R.

Private Eye/Public Hand a sonic performance/installation created and performed by Kermani in collaboration with Glass Media Artist Nancy Walker. PE/PH utilizes the "Body Chime" infrared motion sensor, Spy Satellite mini surveillance cameras and a walkway of close-packed glass marbles to express how advanced technology has produced a loss of personal privacy. PE/PH was premiered at The Roulette (NYC, 1993) and toured to the Cleveland Performance Art Festival and to P.S. 122 as part of the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art (1995).

MiShinnah: Remember the Spoken Word

(from the words Shanah "to repeat" and Mishnah "the oral book")

 

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