School of Music Visiting Artist Series
Rachel Beetz will present in the performer/composer forum on the development of The Winter Stars sound installation from inspiration through creation and reception. The Winter Stars developed from the Script/Rescript recital project which examined contrapuntal textures of solo flute works in collaboration with visual artist Nichole Speciale. This collaboration led to the process of graphic score realization that is essential to The Winter Stars creation. This presentation will cover the unexpected development of her creative practice from one that was centered on performing challenging works to one that includes composition and installations.
Rachel Beetz is a Los Angeles based flutist whose playing has been described as both “soulfully elegant” (Washington Post) and evoking the “roar of prehistoric animals” (San Diego Union Tribune). She is an Affiliated Artist with San Diego New Music and also half of both Plus/Minus with percussionist Dustin Donahue and of Autoduplicity, a performance art project with cellist Jennifer Bewerse. Beetz has performed with ensembles such as Callithumpian Consort, International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Noise, Palimpsest, red fish blue fish, Southland Ensemble, and Third Coast Percussion. Composers Nicholas Deyoe, Edward Hamel, Kurt Isaacson, Brian Griffeath-Loeb, Celeste Oram, Michael Pisaro, Roger Reynolds, Scott Worthington, and Yiheng Yvonne Wu have written pieces for Beetz. Rachel also creates sound art pieces that have been exhibited in Australia, Iceland, India, and the US. Currently, Rachel is Director of Public Relations for San Diego New Music and a Director of the wasteLAnd concert series in Los Angeles. She earned degrees from UC San Diego (DMA, MA) and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bachelor of Music).