On this episode of The Cedar Public Access Channel, Cedar Artist Collective member Lady Midnight speaks on the making of a new work titled Practice for Relief, an experimental virtual sound installation created, curated, and directed by Lady Midnight in collaboration with Brian Skalak of REM5.
Designed for a digital landscape created by local virtual reality company REM5, Practice for Relief is a meditative investigation through sound and space that supports the mindful release of negative emotions. Under the direction of Lady Midnight, musicians Kaviraj Kavyesh, Jalyn Spencer and Ziyad Habib improvised the soundscapes for Practice for Relief through synchronizing scales and frequencies that are based in sound healing practices to support the release of fear and guilt.
At the end of the episode, Lady Midnight will invite the audience to attend the public premiere of Practice for Relief. Using avatars, you will be able to access the virtual landscape and experience the healing frequencies as you set your own intention to release any emotions of fear, guilt, and negativity early in the new year.
SOME HELPFUL DETAILS
Once you enter your information above and hit submit, you are officially registered for the VR experience.
You will receive a welcome email with some useful information about what to expect.
Close to the time of the VR experience, you will receive a link that will allow you to enter the VR space.
you do not need special VR headsets. A laptop/desktop, internet, and a set of headphones will do.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT OUR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, AIDA SHAHGHASEMI AT ASHAHGHASEMI@THECEDAR.ORG.
Want to check out the space?
Learn more about The Cedar Artist Collective:
https://www.thecedar.org/artist-collective
ARTISTS
Photo by Sean Parrish (Dinè)
Lady Midnight
Lady Midnight is an experience. She is an ethereal vocalist and performance artist who draws upon her multidisciplinary background in visual art, dance and Afro-indigenous roots to create work that timelessly reflects our collective lives. The City Pages named Lady Midnight Best Twin Cities Vocalist of 2017 and named her highly anticipated debut album Death Before Mourning Best Album of 2020. As Lady Midnight, she has recorded with international touring artists Bon Iver and performed with internationally acclaimed icons Common, Moby, Andra Day, and Aloe Blacc, among others. Lady Midnight has dedicated her life to using the arts as a power for change and confronting trauma.
KAVYESH KAVIRAJ
Kavyesh Kaviraj is a pianist, composer and arranger from India. Although primarily a jazz pianist, he is known for his versatility as a musician; thanks to his experience in different musical climates he is closely involved with settings of many different genres and styles. Kavyesh graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2018, with a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Music. In 2019, Kavyesh received a full tuition grant to pursue a Masters’ degree at Berklee College’s Global Jazz Institute, where he is currently a student under the eminent tutelage of several jazz masters including Danilo Perez, Kenny Werner, JoAnne Brackeen among many others.Kavyesh is a member of the jazz quintet Mississippi, set to release their second album in 2020. He has performed with national and international artists from many different genres, including Roosevelt Collier, Jay Young and the Lyric Factory, Yolande Bruce, Debbie Duncan, Bruce Henry, Nooky Jones, Kevin Washington Quintet, Jamecia Bennett, Maryam Yusafzadeh, Desdamona, Toki Wright and several others.
Visit Kaviraj’s website.
ZIYAD HABIB
Ziyad makes dancefloor-slanted ambient soundscapes. Blending lush harmonic content with pulverizing drums, mournful melodies with the one-two punch of footwork, and soothing pads with rumbling sub-bass, this producers music is as much for the dancefloor as it is for lying on the floor. Formerly known as noahs heark, Ziyad is a Red Bull Music Academy alumnus, and has released music on Paris based Infiné, Karachi based Mooshy Moo, as well as his own imprint, Hear Now Records.
“Ziyad’s rhythmic studies weave like beetles through tall grass, sparkle like sunlight on lakes. Ziyad revels in the phases of all matter, their combinations, their uses; creation and destruction are intertwined..." [of debut LP ‘Compost/Regrowth’] -Ryan Masteller.
Ziyad has received raving reviews from online music publications such as Earmilk, Tiny Mix Tapes, and Wild City and has been featured in radio shows across four continents. Past shows include Le Gâité Lyrique (Paris), Meet d3 (Dubai), Lahore Music Meet (Alhamra, Lahore) as well as venues in Karachi, Berlin, and NYC to name a few.
JALYN SPENCER
Jalyn Spencer is a Twin Cities based bassist, producer and musical arranger hailing from his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. During his time in the Twin Cities he has backed the hip-hop duo iLLism, singer and songwriter Mina Moore, former The Voice contestant and vocal powerhouse Ashley DuBose, ethereal vocalist Lady Midnight, played various jazz showcases through Walker West and Jazz Central and is a member of The Blackbeat Theory, an experiment in Black American music, spirituality and Afro-cosmic thought, to name a few. He was also recently featured with multi-instrumentalist MMYYKK on the acclaimed Boiler Room series earlier this year. Although versatile in his stylings, his playing consistently carries soul and authenticity.
This event is made possible by the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Nash Foundation.
