Einzinger's Quiet Riot

On Aug. 23 Michael Einzinger presented his first orchestral piece at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA. The introduction was given by British physicist Brian Cox. As a rookie to this form of music, Mike presented nine movements. The orchestra, constructed of friend and philharmonic musicians, is called the Graviton Modern Ensemble. Friend and conductor, Suzie Katayama, presented the piece while Mike played with the ensemble.
The introduction, a piece called exit lense, is enlightened with an aesthetically pleasing graphic presence across the backdrop of the stage. A controlled confusion among different colors and shapes; the music seemed to rise from the instruments into a whirlwind of artistic balance on the screen. Mike, also the guitarist from Incubus and Time-Lapse Consortium, began his piece with an eerie and spooky sound of strings. It set the mood for a time “travelesque” voyage. Almost a feeling of finally reaching space and not knowing what you are in for. It is not truly fear, but more an excited ignorance to experience something new or a path not yet traveled.
The introduction video, found at www.endvacuum.com, gave me the impression that Mike wanted to challenge the things around him. Mike’s asking the question, “Is a note still a note if no one is there to hear it?” Space seems like a perfect fit for the unknown.
My favorite piece, Labryrianthian, is the third piece. It started with an estranged oriental feel, much like his composition of the song Aqueous Transmission off the Incubus album Morning View. High-pitched strings gave the piece an space odyssey feel. If you closed your eyes, you could seem miles and miles from the ground. It seemed like a song that would go exceptionally well with a lyrical and vocal presence of a David Bowie.
All-in-all the work was beautiful, strange, and distant for me and for Mike I am sure. It seemed like it is a delightful change of pace for Mike. All the video’s can be found on youtube.com under the heading end.vaccum by Michael Einzinger.