World Harmony Project
Denny Genovese's Exotic Music Ensemble
Left to Right.: Wade Hines, Keton, Dawn Delo, Karen Boon von Ochssee, Bob Neufeld, Denny Genovese, Josh Lederman
Dramatic performers in Colorful costumes played Resonant music with Sculpturesque instruments, going Beyond Style or genres, expressing Clarity, Strength and Originality. Dancers under colored lights illustrated the polyrhythmic patterns of sound through graceful movement.
Denny Genovese's Exotic Music Ensemble was a community orchestra in Gainesville, Florida from 1992 - 1998. It's purpose was three fold:
1. It presented Natural Harmonic Music to Gainesville audiences for seven years, broadening the scope of the city's cultural life.
2. It provided musical education and performing experience to over fifty of the Gainesville area's most promising young musicians.
3. It served as a research and development medium for the use of Harmonic Series based Just Intonation and Polyrhythms.
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The ensemble was popular in North Central Florida throughout the 1990's and received much attention from the local media. EME played four concerts each year at Gainesville's Historic Thomas Center, and each of these was shared with a performance by at least one other ensemble that presented authentic music or dance from a traditional or indigenous culture such as India, China, Africa, the Pacific Islands, etc. This model was also used in other performances at various locations, including the Festival of World Music and Culture, which was produced twice by the World Harmony Project.
The repertoire was primarily original music written by either Denny Genovese, or other members of the ensemble. Much of it was based on impressions of music from various world cultures. In addition, there were several unique arrangements of pieces from the European Classical tradition and American Jazz.
In 1994 The Exotic Music Ensemble recorded the album,
NEW MUSIC - ANCIENT PRINCIPLES
Several Music Videos of Live Performances Can be Found Here
Exotic Music Ensemble 1994
Back row: Joshua Lederman, Buddy Young, Buzz Kimball, Denny Genovese, Wade Hines, Keton, Bob Nuefeld. Front row: Karen Boon Von Ochssee, Dawn Delo
Most of the instruments used were either built or adapted specifically for this project by the composer, Denny Genovese who led the ensemble.
Much inspiration for the Instruments and musical directions came from the work of Harry Partch and Ivor Darreg.