Brooke Matherly
Helen Bower steps onto a stage, settles on to her knees surrounded by a semi-circle of looping pedals, picks up her violin, and with a raspy pull of her bow, begins to create. Lost in the Looping Glass takes the audience through one magnificent soundscape after another. From thin wispy pulls to playful plucks, it’s easy...
...to lose yourself as Bower layers and loops. Each segment of the show is a different auditory journey complete with mood lighting.
The show features four pieces by a combination of British and Australian composers. Each piece seemed to showcase the violin in a different way. Just when it would seem Bower had coaxed every possible type of sound from her instrument, she would add something new yet again. Every sound was so different and varied that when layered together it was hard to believe one instrument was doing so much. Bower even added vocal elements in one piece to further facilitate the audience immersion into the world of the piece.
Bower herself is as much of a spectacle as the music she is creating. She moves with the music as the lights alternately reveal her face or obscure it to draw attention to her hands as she plays. Each piece has an element of play as she bobs along to the ebb and flow of the compositions. The main draw, however, is Bowers feet as she taps her way across a strip of peddles to create the many loops which build her sonic worlds. As each sound is created live on stage, you get to watch Bower playing with her own echoes and carefully and masterfully creating tempos on which to build. The entire show Bower seems to be enjoying herself. She never looks strained or worried. She approaches each moment like a fun game of hitting the perfect notes and creating the perfect noises. You can sense her satisfaction when she gets it just right.
Lost in the Looping Glass is a dreamy, playful adventure through sound. Helen Bower is a delight to watch and an even greater delight to listen to.
The show features four pieces by a combination of British and Australian composers. Each piece seemed to showcase the violin in a different way. Just when it would seem Bower had coaxed every possible type of sound from her instrument, she would add something new yet again. Every sound was so different and varied that when layered together it was hard to believe one instrument was doing so much. Bower even added vocal elements in one piece to further facilitate the audience immersion into the world of the piece.
Bower herself is as much of a spectacle as the music she is creating. She moves with the music as the lights alternately reveal her face or obscure it to draw attention to her hands as she plays. Each piece has an element of play as she bobs along to the ebb and flow of the compositions. The main draw, however, is Bowers feet as she taps her way across a strip of peddles to create the many loops which build her sonic worlds. As each sound is created live on stage, you get to watch Bower playing with her own echoes and carefully and masterfully creating tempos on which to build. The entire show Bower seems to be enjoying herself. She never looks strained or worried. She approaches each moment like a fun game of hitting the perfect notes and creating the perfect noises. You can sense her satisfaction when she gets it just right.
Lost in the Looping Glass is a dreamy, playful adventure through sound. Helen Bower is a delight to watch and an even greater delight to listen to.
