When The Rain God Sings Storm Lions Are Born

When The Rain God Sings Storm Lions Are Born YUNYU ONG, University of Technology Sydney, Australia EMMA SMITH, Independent, Australia RYUJI HAMADA, Taikoz, Australia LEE MCIVER, Taikoz, Australia MADDIE DUNCAN, Australian Film Television Radio School, Australia Additional Key Words and Phrases: Interactive Music, Real-Time Orchestration, Performance Capture ACM Reference Format: 1 PROGRAM NOTES Curiosity does not always kill a cat, sometimes it makes a god. Welcome to the world of "When the Rain God Sings, Storm Lions Are Born" (‘Rain Gods’) by multi-award winning composer Yunyu. This is a supernatural world of cats, thunder and new gods. The old god has gone fishing, you see, so she leaves her drums for the next unsuspecting human to play, for this is how new gods are made. This is the world where drums play tunes and cats must first be appeased and fed so they can grow up and make thunder for the new gods. It is all very hard work. Commissioned by Taikoz, Percussion Australia and brought to life by the masterful Ryuji Hamada, Yunyu re-purposes a linear DAW, Logic X with a goal of turning a single performer into a performer/conductor. This is a seamless exploration of musical composition and instrument making, where traditional playing techniques of Taiko drumming are considered and mapped onto their electronic counterparts [Roland’s Taiko-1], pushing the limits of what taiko playing can be. This is a cautionary tale for the accidental gods amongst us. In a further development by Vfx Artist/Director Emma Smith, the performance intertwines sound and light with reactive weather patterns and a responsive ecosystem primarily comprised of cats, all changing in response to the playful musical landscape. Keep an eye out for the installation that accompanies this this performance – "Be your own Rain God" where audiences can make their own thunderstorm. This is a tale of negotiation between environmental forces and human will, where humankind are not always in control although we often think we are. 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 Background In Japan, a Taiko is a drum; performances are often accompanied by stories, movement and percussive rhythms. The spirit behind Rain Gods is one of adventure and exploration of what a composition for a Taiko can be when it has to be prepared for its electronic counterpart (Roland’s Taiko-1). One of the key challenges of the composition was expanding Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Copyright remains with the author(s). Yunyu Ong, Emma Smith, Ryuji Hamada, Lee McIver, and Maddie Duncan. 2024. When The Rain God Sings Storm Lions Are Born. 1, 1 (September 2024), 4 pages. Music Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression NIME’24, 4–6 September, 2024, Utrecht, The Netherlands 2 Ong et.al Fig. 1. When the Rain God Sings Storm Lions are Born performed by Ryuji Hamada what was possible from a single soloist performance while addressing the performance tradition of the Taiko including playing techniques. A significant directive from the commissioning body was to reimagine the Taiko beyond acoustic possibilities. Given that the commissioning group, a renowned Taiko ensemble, already possessed a vast collection of traditional Taiko, the electronic counterpart was not intended to replicate these. Instead, the composer, Yunyu was encouraged to explore innovative avenues, while still respecting and integrating conventional Taiko playing methods. This led to the development of a design framework that broadened the functional scope of an Taiko. Thematically, the composition draws inspiration from "Komainu”. These are stone guardians found outside temples in China and Japan. Yunyu, with her Chinese Fujianese ancestral heritage, aimed to celebrate the cultural ties and shared folklore of China and Japan through this narrative. 2.2 Real Time Music Performance with Real-Time Visual Effects Projected onto the backdrop a serene sky, the atmosphere turns and we see the powerful forces of nature crashing and colliding in the background as the Hamada begins to play. This is a capture of the Rain God’s playful personality and the undeniable power of a newly born Rain God. The incorporation of motion capture technology and a real-time sonic and visual output creates a dynamic, evolving experience from Visual Artist Emma Smith. Each drumbeat resonates with the visual effects, crafting an electrifying synergy between performance and visual spectacle. This approach aligns with the objectives of the New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) community, showcasing how traditional musical instruments can be reimagined through contemporary technology, enriching both the auditory and visual aspects of performance. 2.3 Relevance to NIME The project was developed in response to the diminishing opportunities for travelling performance groups as venues themselves became vulnerable during pandemic related economic challenges. We feel that the future developments for electronic Taiko are important as this was a democratisation of skills. Taiko players are no longer limited to performing non-pitched instruments and reactive ensemble style playing opportunities are possible for soloists with careful interactive compositional techniques. When The Rain God Sings Storm Lions Are Born 3 The tale is an environmental one, acknowledging the forces of nature and how humans interact with naturalistic forces. This is a balance of control between human will and nature, an ongoing tale of mutual understanding and space-making. 3 PERFORMANCE NOTES 3.1 Performance Instructions In-person live performance •1 operator running the music session on LogicX and Unreal Engine •1 performer playing the electronic Taiko Performance score and set switching instructions are provided to both performer and operator. Operator is to switch the sets as indicated in the score. 3.2 Power Requirement •Laptop: power outlet x2 •Electronic Taiko – 10 x AA rechargeable batteries 3.3 Technical Requirements The performance is proposed for Tivoli Vredenburg. The below is a guide to what is needed, however, we anticipate further communication and fine-tuning once the performance is programmed. Audio Setup – Stereo DI out of MacBook Pro to audio desk for audio triggered by the Taiko 1 3 x monitors for stage fold-back Lighting - A tight central spot (down stage centre) plus a wider central state covering mid stage and down stage. Spatial considerations: Minimum 6m wide x 4m deep AV: Ideally rear projected on a large screen (6m wide) that addresses the floor - However, we can work with a front projected flown screen or screens if required. LED system also possible. Hi res projectors required. To be confirmed closer to date. Duration 8-15 minutes. Performance is a variable length due to its interactive nature. We can lock required times in as per NIME requirements. 4 MEDIA LINKS •Video: https://vimeo.com/942163293/b63853485c ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors would like to thank University of Technology Sydney, Dolby Australia and Roland Australia for their ongoing support of the work. 4 Ong et.al ETHICAL STANDARDS The ethics approval process has been conducted and approved with ethics board within the University of Technology Sydney.