“The Hewlett 50 Arts Commissions are a symbol of the foundation’s longstanding commitment to performing arts in the Bay Area,” said Larry Kramer, president of the Hewlett Foundation. “We believe the awards will fund the creation of new musical works of lasting significance that are as dynamic and diverse as the Bay Area communities where they will premiere.”
New media artist and UC Berkeley arts practice whatsapp lead associate professor, Greg Niemeyer, presenting his new work, “Memory Palace,” at the Internet Archive in 2016.
“Sonic Web” is conceived to push boundaries in both music and technology. New media artist, Greg Niemeyer, will build an original Sonic Web Instrument —a large touchscreen with a software tool to draw network diagrams. It will enable DJ Spooky to build and take apart simple networks using sampled sounds from the Internet Archive, further layered by a vocalist and string quartet.
“Sonic Web will dig into the big crate of the Internet Archive and remix internet history in a new, networked way,” says Greg Niemeyer. “We will break out of linear musical structures towards a more networked and connected sound.”
The road, partnering with Berkeley Center for New Media, Stanford Live, Youth Radio, and Bay Area high schools for music and technology workshops and a service learning course at UC Berkeley.
The work will premiere at the Internet Archive Great Room during the summer of 2018. We will also provide free global access to a downloadable Sonic Web album with music videos and the livestream of the premiere at archive