Bourdon 60Hz/50Hz Series

Bourdon 60Hz is a series of sound meditation performances of sine waves and trombone tuned to 60Hz, produced by Melissa Grey & David Morneau, who invited me to sit in on several sessions. Wherever we are in the world, when we spontaneously hum a note, the pitch tends to match the utility frequency, or “mains hum,” because this frequency is integrated into our perceptual habits. In North America and parts of Asia, this frequency is 60Hz, while in the majority of the rest of the world it is 50Hz. Bourdon—meaning drone and derived from French for bumblebee and buzz—invites the audience to tune their individual embodiment of this ubiquitous tone by softly humming along as they listen. Bourdon offers space for contemplation and regeneration with an otherwise unwelcome frequency.

[nº38] etude (April 26, 2020)
We livestreamed this performance of Bourdon 50Hz during the COVID-19 quarantine in New York City in spring 2020, for Basilica Hudson's 24-HOUR DRONE AT HOME on Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 5:30am. Our livestream raised money for Arts Holding Hands And Hearts (AHHAH), which provides literacy, arts, and movement programs for very young children in vulnerable communities. During the isolation and distancing of the pandemic, AHHAH was adapting to deliver its programs online. All proceeds from sales of Bourdon 50Hz [nº38] were directed to AHHAH.

[nº24] etude (March 2, 2020)

[nº14] etude (February 13, 2020)

[nº10] etude (February 7, 2020))