INSIDE-OUTSIDE (2021)
German visual artist Ben Willikens (1939-present), has most notably been recognized for his rigid geometric paintings which convey an unsettling perspective of modern interiors. His works, usually incorporating a muted or greyscale color palette, feature broad doorways, stark white foregrounds, and nearly empty rooms which feel far from inviting for the viewer. In 2019, with the debut of his solo gallery Inside-Outside in München, Germany, Willikens incorporated a major shift in his artwork. Instead of stark white foregrounds looking out to the exterior of the rooms, there are broad muted landscapes. However, even with the natural scenery taking command in the composition of the paintings, the perspective is still looking out from the cold geometric interiors Willikens is known for. The landscapes themselves are also far from bright and cheerful. The skies are overcast, and the landmasses are dark and grey, lacking the vibrance of life. “Inside-Outside” is a musical reflection on this dichotomy proposed by Willikens, inspired by how it feels as the viewer to look out on grim decaying landscapes from these cold unfeeling interiors.
Inside-Outside was entirely composed, rehearsed, performed, and recorded over the course of just seven days as part of the International Summer Academy of Music Joseph Dorfman Memorial Composer’s Competition in Ochsenhausen, Germany. The premiere performance, conducted by Ryan McQuay Meredith, was adjudicated by the music faculty at the Landesakademie Ochsenhausen and was later given the Award for Best Compositional Interpretation of the Artist, Ben Willikens.
Duration: ~6 minutes
Instrumentation: Alto/Tenor Saxophone, Violoncello, Percussion, and Piano
Digital and Hard Copy versions available.
German visual artist Ben Willikens (1939-present), has most notably been recognized for his rigid geometric paintings which convey an unsettling perspective of modern interiors. His works, usually incorporating a muted or greyscale color palette, feature broad doorways, stark white foregrounds, and nearly empty rooms which feel far from inviting for the viewer. In 2019, with the debut of his solo gallery Inside-Outside in München, Germany, Willikens incorporated a major shift in his artwork. Instead of stark white foregrounds looking out to the exterior of the rooms, there are broad muted landscapes. However, even with the natural scenery taking command in the composition of the paintings, the perspective is still looking out from the cold geometric interiors Willikens is known for. The landscapes themselves are also far from bright and cheerful. The skies are overcast, and the landmasses are dark and grey, lacking the vibrance of life. “Inside-Outside” is a musical reflection on this dichotomy proposed by Willikens, inspired by how it feels as the viewer to look out on grim decaying landscapes from these cold unfeeling interiors.
Inside-Outside was entirely composed, rehearsed, performed, and recorded over the course of just seven days as part of the International Summer Academy of Music Joseph Dorfman Memorial Composer’s Competition in Ochsenhausen, Germany. The premiere performance, conducted by Ryan McQuay Meredith, was adjudicated by the music faculty at the Landesakademie Ochsenhausen and was later given the Award for Best Compositional Interpretation of the Artist, Ben Willikens.
Duration: ~6 minutes
Instrumentation: Alto/Tenor Saxophone, Violoncello, Percussion, and Piano
Digital and Hard Copy versions available.
German visual artist Ben Willikens (1939-present), has most notably been recognized for his rigid geometric paintings which convey an unsettling perspective of modern interiors. His works, usually incorporating a muted or greyscale color palette, feature broad doorways, stark white foregrounds, and nearly empty rooms which feel far from inviting for the viewer. In 2019, with the debut of his solo gallery Inside-Outside in München, Germany, Willikens incorporated a major shift in his artwork. Instead of stark white foregrounds looking out to the exterior of the rooms, there are broad muted landscapes. However, even with the natural scenery taking command in the composition of the paintings, the perspective is still looking out from the cold geometric interiors Willikens is known for. The landscapes themselves are also far from bright and cheerful. The skies are overcast, and the landmasses are dark and grey, lacking the vibrance of life. “Inside-Outside” is a musical reflection on this dichotomy proposed by Willikens, inspired by how it feels as the viewer to look out on grim decaying landscapes from these cold unfeeling interiors.
Inside-Outside was entirely composed, rehearsed, performed, and recorded over the course of just seven days as part of the International Summer Academy of Music Joseph Dorfman Memorial Composer’s Competition in Ochsenhausen, Germany. The premiere performance, conducted by Ryan McQuay Meredith, was adjudicated by the music faculty at the Landesakademie Ochsenhausen and was later given the Award for Best Compositional Interpretation of the Artist, Ben Willikens.
Duration: ~6 minutes
Instrumentation: Alto/Tenor Saxophone, Violoncello, Percussion, and Piano
Digital and Hard Copy versions available.