PORTLAND, Ore. — If you've ever driven around downtown Portland, you've probably seen the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Right now, Rose Bond’s name is on the iconic marquee.
Bond is a media artist and animator in Portland. For the last year, she’s been working on a collaboration with the Oregon Symphony.
“The piece of music that people hear is really not like any kind of piece of music or any kind of symphony that you think you've heard,” said Bond.
Her animations will be projected onto the walls inside the auditorium while the Oregon Symphony plays its rendition of Luciano Berio’s Sinfonia which he composed in 1968. It's a mix of words, music, and references to that time period. It was the year that Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. That year there were also strikes and riots in Paris, not to mention the Summer of Love.
“What I'm doing is animating in and out of these images, drawings really of photos that people are familiar with,” said Bond.
“This is an iconic work of the late-20th century, so to be able to present this for the first time in Portland and then to add a world premiere of an original animation by one of Portland's own great creators, it's a very proud event for all of us,” said Charles Calmer, the Vice President for Artistic Planning at the Oregon Symphony.
Bond was involved in a similar performance back in 2016. That was also another collaboration between Bond and the Oregon Symphony.
“It was a big hit,” she said.
Bond spent the last year researching, drawing, animating, and rehearsing for the upcoming performance.
“If you do the math, I just made a great big feature film in a year,” said Bond.
To her, the hours are all worth it. Her art form is ingrained in who she is.
“I can't carry a tune, but I can see movies in my head and I can bring those out in the world with a frame around them,” Bond said.
Her hope is that the performance moves people.
“I hope that people have an emotional experience. I hope they feel like they've had the full deal,” she said.
The performances are scheduled for this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
You can find all the information on the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall's website.