Eat Before Playing, 2021-2022
graphite on paper, digital reformatting, perfect bound book
Eat Before Playing is a collection of graphic scores and musical exercises that implement pastries and desserts as the main mode of direction. Every page uses the same system of symbols to denote pitch and chord changes, but there is no distinct code for rhythm. Inspired by Fluxus scores and food analogies that commonly come up in music pedagogy, this project is an exploration of notation, semantics, and semiotics. Multiple performers are able to play the same pieces with different interpretations, and the deviations in every variation reveal riffs in translation and understanding. The creation of this book was guided by the questions: Even with a basic key explaining how to read this music, how can people agree on the meaning and execution of each symbol? Do people need to agree?