Suite of Household Appliances for two trumpets and their accessories (1999).
It may be difficult to find glamour in a garbage disposal or pilot light; a dishwasher may not ever catch our eye until it breaks and it is time to call someone to repair it; vacuum cleaners and coffee makers? These are tools that we use to make our lives just a little bit easier. But in the scheme of things these appliances do have something in common: we have come to depend on them, and though we do not normally take notice of them when they are there, we certainly do miss them when they are not. These machines wield an eerie sense of power then, whether by giving off a soothing drone that lulls us to sleep, or by subtly dripping their steaming contents into a hot carafe, or by creating a sense of mystery with a small flicker of flame burning softly in a basement corner.
Note: when performing this piece indoors, it will be necessary for a tarp to be laid down on the floor to catch excess water. Painter’s tarps are an inexpensive option.
Equipment requirements
Hydromute: a metal straight mute is best, one that you don’t mind getting wet.
2 cups: stainless steel milkshake cups work well, although any cup will do.
2 5-gallon buckets, half-way filled with water.
2 bowls half-way filled with water: stainless steel mixing bowls resonate well.
1 card-table: holds props and, when playing into bowls, holds bowls.
1 tarp: painter’s tarps are an inexpensive option. Necessary for indoor performances.
Utility mouthpieces: optional