The Glass Percussion Project
The Glass Percussion Project was a collaborative initiative between glass/installation artist Elaine Miles and percussionist/composer Eugene Ughetti occurring between 2006-2010. It explored the sound potential of glass through live electronics, sound diffusion and performance. It developed and expanded the interaction between art-installation and performance utilising a family of hand-blown glass percussion objects that are both musical instruments and visual art objects.
The Glass Percussion Project brought together a series of specialist artists in the disciplines of percussive practice, fine art installation, musical composition, sound and light design, studio glass and performance. From within installations of glass percussion objects, live performances, soundscapes amplified in surround sound and interactive experiences converged around themes of air, water and divine melody.
Installations featured hand-blown glass and crystal percussion instruments, including over 1500 custom made objects. Notable projects occurred at the National Museum of Singapore, the opening week of the Melbourne Recital Centre, Adelaide Festival Centre, Federation Square and Roulette (New York).
Elaine Miles, Reflection, 2004, installed in the Grainger Museum 2019
Elaine Miles writes:
“From the very first meeting, Eugene began to move my glass around as if he were selecting crafted forms from a Tibetan singing bowl collection. He began to ask questions I had not heard before, such as ‘What sound does this glass make that no other glass forms can make?’ As he intuitively arranged the forms and rehearsed compositions he would ask me: ‘what does this composition remind you of?’ When I answered, ‘it sounds like an old man in the back shed moving tools around’, or ‘it sounds like thunder’, he seemed delighted.”