Performed live on March 25th, 2026 as part of Christopher Keach's Faculty Recital, "The Voice of the Trumpet"

Art Song by Christopher Keach

Christopher Keach, flugelhorn/trumpet

Amy Swartele, artist

Program Notes:

Art Song was conceived as a way to combine the auditory and visual arts. Initially, I envisioned the work to be performed while a painting was completed within the duration of the piece. However, after further discussion, it became clear that this approach would be increasingly difficult to execute effectively. I still wanted to convey the presence of visual art within the performance, so Amy and I reimagined the structure of the program. The painting will now begin during this piece and continue evolving throughout the entirety of the recital, visually depicting the music performed across the program. No two performances of this work will be the same, which I believe is a powerful way to experience art; both as a performer and as an audience member. Musically, the piece incorporates a loop pedal to create an evolving soundscape over which the performer improvises. Multiphonics are used to produce chordal textures within a single loop, expanding the harmonic palette of the trumpet. The work also features a sustained drone created by the audience, deepening the connection between performer and listener and further ensuring the uniqueness of each performance.