Beth Bradfish is a composer and sound artist whose goal is to bring her
audience as close to sound as possible – like a musician holding a cello to his or
her heart. The permeability and physical intimacy of sound is the foundation of
experiences she creates and invites her audiences to participate in. She composes
for chamber ensembles, orchestras as well as installations and sound objects she
designs. Bradfish often collects field recordings, analyzes their characteristics,
and then edits and transforms those sounds to create compositions that subtly engage
audiences and visitors. Sometimes she invites audience participation in the music
making by asking the audience to play soundfiles they download to Smartphones. She
also creates sound objects that function as instruments. For example, Exhale Sound
Bed (2017) creates sound that gently circles the body while the physical vibration
comes and goes depending on the area of the bed activated by transducers and
microelectronics. With the Harvestworks project Bradfish, collaborating with visual
artist Connie Noyes, treats the entire installation space as a resonating and
interactive environment.
