For Immediate Release

August 24, 2023

Images Available Upon Request

Waterways and Dwellings at Culver City Foshay Lodge

Culver City, CA- Synchromy presents Waterways and Dwellings, a performance of Culver City-centered pieces for four voices and piano. The title piece is by Los Angeles-based composer Molly Pease with text by Molly Bendall. This event takes place November 18th at 2:30 PM at Culver City Foshay Lodge № 467, F.& A.M. Performers include vocalists Saunder Choi, Mikaela Elson, Paul Chwe MinChul An, and Molly Pease. This concert is part of the California Festival: A Celebration of New Music, a statewide music initiative showcasing the most compelling and forward-looking voices in performances of works written in the past five years. Tickets are available at www.synchromy.org.

Contemplating the question, “What is a dwelling place?” Molly Pease’s Waterways and Dwellings, with text by Molly Bendall, turns towards Ballona Creek as a source of ecological and cultural knowledge. This meditative piece for four voices charts a course through Culver City’s landscape. Between movements, the work is interwoven with historic vocal music exploring Culver City’s past as a Sundown Town, present as a Sanctuary City, and its history in between. Following the event, there will be a  conversation contemplating Culver City’s past, present, and future led by Sylvia Hathaway Chavez and historian John Kent.

Waterways and Dwellings is built around a walk along the nearly nine-mile-long creek that connects the city to the Ballona Wetlands, Marina Del Rey, and the Pacific Ocean. The sounds and textures of the area were recorded and interpreted by the composer to create a sonic landscape that pulls from local birds, rowers yelling and paddling by, rolling bicycles, and the boardwalk. Waterways and Dwellings looks to Culver City’s history to converse with its present condition: LA County’s housing crisis, the homeless people affected by it living along the creek, and the environmental impact of littering in the area. The piece contains layered voices, rhythmic ideas, and extended techniques inspired by the environment. The sounds of breath evoke foghorns. Overtone singing and whistling creature texture. Yodels reminiscent of local birds and vocal improvisation that reflects the flexible qualities of nature ground the piece in the environment of Ballona Creek and its accompanying paths, travels, and conversation.

This performance is made possible in part by the City of Culver City and its Cultural Affairs Commission, with support from Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Culver City Arts Foundation.

Bios:

Molly Pease is an eclectic LA-based vocal artist and composer whose singing has been described as “sonically mesmerizing” (LA Weekly) and “amazing” (LADC), and whose compositions defy genre. Molly is noted for her original vocal interpretations, as in her performance of Pulitzer-prize winner Du Yun’s “Movement of Rosa” in the critically acclaimed experimental opera Sweet Land, produced by The Industry and directed by Macarthur Fellow Yuval Sharon in February 2020. As a composer, Molly uses improvisation and extended vocal sounds, merging music, movement and visuals. Her newest album, Inner Astronomy, merges her father’s poetry and drawings with original music, fashion design and collage.

Molly Bendall was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She worked in family-run restaurants for much of her youth, but she also trained and performed as a ballet dancer. She received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Intermont College and graduate degrees in English/Creative Writing from the University of Virginia and The Johns Hopkins University. She currently teaches in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, Loyola Marymount University. Her first book, After Estrangement, won the Peregrine Smith Poetry prize in 1992. She is also the author of Dark Summer (1999) and Ariadne’s Island (2002), both published by the Miami University Press. She has also published two books of cowgirl poetry, co-authored with the poet Gail Wronsky. Bendall has translated poems of the French surrealist poet Joyce Mansour. She has received the Eunice Tietjens Prize from Poetry magazine and the Lynda Hull Poetry Award from Denver Quarterly. Her work has twice been chosen for Pushcart Prizes.

Fact Sheet for Waterways and Dwellings

Performance Schedule

November 18, 2:30

Address

Culver City Foshay Lodge № 467, F.& A.M.

9635 Venice Boulevard Culver City, CA 90232

Credits

Presented by: Synchromy

Composed by: Molly Pease

Text by: Molly Bendall

Vocalists: Saunder Choi, Mikaela Elson, Paul Chwe MinChul An, and Molly Pease

Ticket Information

General Admission $25

Student $15

Seniors $15

Artists impacted by COVID-19 $15

Companion Ticket $15

Visit https://synchromy.org/waterways-and-dwellings/ to purchase tickets

Calendar Listing +/- 100 Words

Contemplating the question, “What is a dwelling place?” Molly Pease’s Waterways and Dwellings, turns towards Ballona Creek as a source of ecological and cultural knowledge. This meditative piece for four voices charts a course through Culver City’s landscape. Between movements, the piece is interwoven with historic works contemplating Culver City’s past as a Sundown Town, present as a Sanctuary City, and it’s history in between. Join us following the event for a conversation contemplating Culver City’s past, present, and future led by Sylvia Hathaway Chavez and historian John Kent.

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To request photos, interviews, and more information please contact:

Elizabeth Huston | [email protected]