Displacement Pressure is a rather abstract reflection on a very real and pertinent issue affecting (afflicting?) many cities across the nation, including Cincinnati: a lack of affordable housing. Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood just north of Cincinnati’s downtown, has a long history of population displacement, which in recent years has sped up due to a major revitalization push by the city. Revitalization can of course be a very positive step, as long as sufficient affordable housing is ensured for the current residents. Has that happened in OTR? Depends on who you ask.

Many of the sounds used in the piece were taken from active construction sites around the neighborhood. You’ll hear these recordings played back directly in the electronic part (though often digitally altered), and also imitated by the instrumental sounds. For that latter part I used Maxorch, software I co-developed as a user interface for the computer assisted orchestration package Orchidea. The video, created by video artist Zebbler, includes footage taken from these sites interspersed throughout.

Displacement Pressure was commissioned by Unheard-of//Ensemble, with support from the Johnstone Fund for New Music.

Recording is pending…