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TEOTIHUACAN

The piece TEOTIHUACAN composed and arranged by Andersen VIANA is a piece for symphony orchestra inspired by the largest city of the same name in pre-Columbian America, which had thousand inhabitants in that time, one of the six largest in the world at that time. Research indicates that this city was multiethnic. The ruins of this city are the most visited archeological site in Mexico.
This short piece – lasting around 7 minutes – was composed on eight tonal chords that are repeated indefinitely, bringing a “New Simplicity”, something not uncommon to find in post-modern era, being something done by several composers.
On eight chords, a series of variations are developed on the most diverse aspects: melodic, harmonic, timbral, contrapuntal, tempo changes, great dynamic contrasts and the use of improvisation at the percussion section. Despite its structural and aesthetic simplicity, the work manages to evolve considerably from the point of view of instrumentation and orchestration.

  • Fundação Clóvis Salgado fcs.mg.gov.br
    Producer
    50 years of activities in Brazil
  • Mussi Produções Ltda
    Producer
  • Lígia AMADIO
    Key Cast
    "Conductor"
    40 years of activities at the music field
  • Orquestra Sinfônica de Minas Gerais OSMG
    Key Cast
    "Orchestra"
    50 years of activities in Brazil
  • Andersen VIANA
    Music Composer
    Pitágoras de Samos
  • Sérgio RABELLO
    Audio Editor
  • Alysson RODRIGUES
    Video Editor
  • Hanna MUSSI
    Audiovisual Production
  • Alysson RODRIGUES
    Audiovisual Production
  • Project Type:
    Music Video
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes 34 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 9, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Brazil
  • Country of Filming:
    Brazil
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography

Andersen Viana is a BIPOC and DISABLE multiartist (composer, writer, film diretor and visual artist) and retired professor at State Fundação Clóvis Salgado (www.fcs.mg.gov.br) in Belo Horizonte-Brazil. He began composing at the age of 13 and became a professor at the age of 19. Subsequently he completed PhD studies in Music Composition at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) and furthered his studies at other institutions in Brazil, Italy and Sweden such as the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, Arts Academy of Rome, Accademia Chigiana di Siena and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He has written 437 music works for almost all the instrumental and vocal ensembles and received 40 composition awards and recognitions in Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Serbia, Ukraine and the USA. Up to the present he has composed music for chamber and full orchestra, choir and various ensembles as well as music for electronic instruments. He has also organized and conducted/directed various vocal and instrumental ensembles such as: Orquestra Experimental (1983), Septheto Rio (1986), Coro Pedagógico da FEBEM (1991), Coro do Centro de Estudos da Embaixada do Brasil em Roma (1993), Coro da Cultura Inglesa BH (1994), Trio Barroco (1994), Orchestra Virtual (1995), Estocolmo Nonet (1996), The Duo (1997), Coro da SMRU, Camerata Primavera (2003), A Cigarra e a Orquestra (2006–2008), the Coral IOCHPE MAXION (2009) and the Coral Sebastião Vianna (2014).

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Director Statement

The piece TEOTIHUACAN composed and arranged by Andersen VIANA is a piece for symphony orchestra inspired by the largest city of the same name in pre-Columbian America, which had thousand inhabitants in that time, one of the six largest in the world at that time. Research indicates that this city was multiethnic. The ruins of this city are the most visited archeological site in Mexico.
This short piece – lasting around 6 minutes – was composed on eight tonal chords that are repeated indefinitely, bringing a “New Simplicity”, something not uncommon to find in post-modern era, being something done by several composers.
On eight chords, a series of variations are developed on the most diverse aspects: melodic, harmonic, timbral, contrapuntal, tempo changes, great dynamic contrasts and the use of improvisation at the percussion section. Despite its structural and aesthetic simplicity, the work manages to evolve considerably from the point of view of instrumentation and orchestration.

The main question proposed by this piece is posed in the genesis of this orchestral work: would it still be possible to have, in the 21st century, a significant tonal musical piece, which was based on minimal structures, which did not cause monotony and which could awaken diverse interests? Or would it be superfluous, media-related, that will be forgotten over time, like most commercial music today?

We hope that the answer to these and other relevant questions can come from performers, critics, academics and especially the audiences when in direct contact with the piece.