The Whimisical Nature of Small Particle Physics (2006) by Ben Wahlund
Players: 1
Instrumentation: Snare Drum and Tape
Duration: 7 minutes
Program Note:
In the fall of 2006, a dear family friend gave me a tour of his workplace – the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, IL. The home of an atomic particle accelerator, scientists use the machine to violently slam atoms into each other at incredibly high speeds and study the results. Among these results are a type of subatomic particle known as “quarks” which come in six different varieties – top, bottom, up, down, strange, and charm – and help scientists understand the nature of matter as well as the fabric of time itself. The Whimsical Nature of Small Particle Physics is presented as a suite of six types of quarks, with a seventh dance entitled “collision.” The accompanying electronic track consists entirely of sounds I recorded at Fermilab – no other sound are involved though some are liberally altered. – Ben Wahlund
Ben Wahlund holds a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, and a Master’s Degree in Music Theory and Composition, as well as a Performance Certificate in Percussion from Northern Illinois University. Mr. Wahlund’s compositions are known for their creative use of percussion instruments and sounds, as well as their virtuosity. Additionally, Wahlund is the Program Director of the Birch Creek Percussion and Steel Band summer programs, serves as the director of percussion studies at Naperville Central High School in Naperville, IL, and owns and operates Black Dog Music Studios in Aurora, IL.
Annotated by Christine Augspurger