Released in August, Oneira by the percussion quartet Clocks in Motion features music the group commissioned from the composer Jennifer Bellor. But that’s just the beginning of the story. As member Sean Kleve explained to WORT’s Peter Haney in October, the group’s members were dissatisfied with the transactional nature of the commissioning process. They sought a deeper, long-term collaboration with a composer through a program they called the “Clock Shop.” Over a period of years, the group worked closely with Bellor, exploring and reworking multiple drafts of the works that now appear on the album. The arresting, dreamlike result is at once listenable and challenging. Classical music fans who have lived in Madison long enough may remember seeing Clocks in Motion play here during the members’ graduate school days. Today, the ensemble tours nationally, and some of the musicians longer live in Madison. Having finished the “Clock Shop,” the group is moving on to new projects and may just find a way to perform locally again. In addition to the audio release, there is also a video featuring animation by Christine Banna.
Image Credit: Oneira album cover art by Roberta Estrin, Graphic Design by Meerenai Shim.
