Major(s): Sociology
Minor(s): Film Studies
What type of experience did you have over the summer?
Independent Research
What did you work on?
I spent a month in London filming interviews with former members of the Scratch Orchestra, a radical experimental music ensemble that was active in Great Britain in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I also spent many hours gathering archival footage of the Scratch Orchestra at the British Library. Since returning to the United States in July, I have been compiling the footage that I filmed into a documentary about the history, legacy, and controversy of the Scratch Orchestra.
What was a highlight of your experience?
A highlight of my experience was being able to meet countless groundbreaking and highly innovative musicians who I’ve been interested in and studied for years. Most notably, I traveled to the village of Deal to meet with musician and biographer John Tilbury who wrote the biography about Cornelius Cardew, the founder of the Scratch Orchestra. I spent a very memorable day with him at his home listening to remarkable stories about the Scratch Orchestra.
How did your summer experience impact you?
My summer experience has allowed me to create this documentary which I have dreamed of making since my freshman year at Wesleyan. This grant truly allowed me to actualize this idea and document this essential, and little-known, piece of music history. In the coming semester, I hope to finish editing the documentary and release it online. I hope that the documentary inspires individuals to think outside the box, push the boundaries of what they consider to be “art”, act radically on their beliefs and ideals, and embrace others creatively as a form of community-building and artmaking.
