Brian Harnetty is a present force in the world of archival sound recordings, composing music that drives social change through a study of the past. Familiar with the physical and sonic landscape of Appalachia, Harnetty combines sound recordings with the presence and peace of the world around him, producing authentic stories.
Live from Rosen Concert Hall on March 6, Harnetty is performing his 2022 archival album “Words and Silences,” accompanied by piano, video and electronics. Aside from the performance, Harnetty will present a discussion and Q&A session with those in attendance, deconstructing his creative process.
Concentrating his studies in music composition, Harnetty graduated with a master’s degree in music from the Royal Academy of Music, later receiving a doctorate in philosophy in the interdisciplinary arts from Ohio University. His work transcends modern acoustic compositions, interpolating sounds of folk, Americana, singer-songwriter and experimental soundscapes.
“Words and Silences” is Harnetty’s latest full-length album and brings a new light to the tape recordings of the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton. Harnetty used these reel-to-reel recordings to inspire his next endeavor of musical composition, inspiring “Words and Silences.” Harnetty refers to this album as a one-person play on his website, composed with reverence in the solitude of the 2020 pandemic.
“Words and Silences” features inspiration from the various genres of music Harnetty is most familiar with: folk, Kansas City jazz, Americana and sacred music. After reading Merton’s books as a child, Harnetty rediscovered Merton’s voice in 2017 when he began exploring his archives at Bellarmine University in Louisville. Painting a portrait of historical excellence, Harnetty brilliantly composed motifs that echo Merton’s introspective words.
On Wednesday at 6 p.m., Harnetty will present his lecture titled “Re-Animating the Sound Archive” in Schaffel Recital Hall. An exploration of the creative process he has developed over the past two decades, Harnetty will dive into the production behind archival performance. With examples from his discography, Harnetty combines the art of music with spoken word to display a digestible understanding of contemplative practices that can guide us through the ever-changing world.
The following day at 8 p.m., Harnetty will perform selections from his catalog featuring performers from the Hayes School of Music. Before this performance, there will be a short discussion led by Jacob Kopcienski, assistant professor of musicology, and Cuong Mai, associate professor of philosophy and religion. After the performance, there will be a brief Q&A open to audience participation.
These presentations and performances are put on by the Hayes School of Music and the High Country Humanities program.
