More from Catherine Girardeau
Cocktail Science: Distillation
(00:07:24)
From: Catherine Girardeau
This piece gives listeners a taste of the art and science contained in your cocktail. Go behind the scenes at St. George Spirits, a Northern California artisan distillery, ...
Microbes and Worms Turn Oil into Compost
(00:04:45)
From: Catherine Girardeau
A UC Berkeley researcher is attacking toxic hydrocarbons left over from oil spills with microbes, earthworms, and a few acres of land. Catherine Girardeau brings us this ...
Raging Grannies
(00:04:17)
From: Catherine Girardeau
This story highlights the women who inspired documentary filmmaker Pam Walton's latest film, "Raging Grannies: The Action League." Interviews with the filmmaker and her San ...
Oil Spill Cleanup: From Hazmat to Hairmat
(00:04:00)
From: Catherine Girardeau
Eco-minded volunteers clean up after SF Bay oil spill using mats made of human hair.
Vows
(00:10:20)
From: Catherine Girardeau
An exploration of wedding vows that combines personal essay with documentary form.
Jamming 101: A Classical Violinist's Foray into Bluegrass
(00:06:56)
From: Catherine Girardeau
A classical violinist sits in on a bluegrass jam.
Linda's Gift
(00:07:27)
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Piece Description
Below the surface of most works of art are the artist's raw materials: paint, canvas, plastic, metal, wood. Artists have their own reasons for choosing materials: some practical, some aesthetic, some quirky and personal. In this piece, Catherine Girardeau visits two musical instrument builders -- one who combines ordinary objects to make otherworldly music, and one who crafts extraordinary musical sculptures. Bart Hopkin, editor of the website Experimental Musical Instruments, explains and performs on his waterphone, the Aquavina and ends with a virtuoso performance of "Baby Please Don't Go" on his raspy, grating but oddly compelling "Savart's Wheel". Designer and musical sculptor Oliver diCicco takes us through his workshop, and plays his giant water installation, "Sirens".
Broadcast History
Originally produced for "Distillations", a podcast series of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
Transcript
Instrument Builders Scrounge for Sounds
Producer: Catherine Girardeau
TRT 4:11 with music fade out at end
[MUSIC: Mobius Operandi, End of the Dial, ?Now Only?]
Oliver DiCicco: My name is Oliver DiCicco, I am an instrument builder, sculptor, designer. I was a recording engineer for a long time, and I have tried to marry my love of building things and music together and started building musical instruments.
[music: Bart Hopkin, Instrumentarium Hopkinis, ?Embert, Rumel & Frumentus?]
Bart Hopkin: I am Bart Hopkin, I am the guy that runs something called Experimental Musical Instruments, ... People all over the place making all kinds of interesting things with which to make music.
[sound: outdoor ambi from Bart?s porch: birds, wind chimes]
NARRATOR: I visited these two experimental instrument builders in their workshops because I wanted to see, and hear, how they choose th...
Read the full transcript
Timing and Cues
Music continues at full volume for 1:57 after soc-out -- can be faded out, talked over etc.
Suggested host intro:
Below the surface of most works of art are the artist's raw materials: paint, canvas, plastic, metal, wood. Artists have their own reasons for choosing materials - some practical, some aesthetic, some quirky and personal. In this piece, Catherine Girardeau visits two musical instrument builders: one who combines ordinary objects to make otherworldly music, and one who crafts extraordinary musical sculptures. Bart Hopkin, editor of the website Experimental Musical Instruments, explains and performs on his waterphone, the Aquavina and ends with a virtuoso performance of "Baby Please Don't Go" on his raspy, grating but oddly compelling "Savart's Wheel". Designer and musical sculptor Oliver diCicco takes us through his workshop, and plays his giant water installation, "Sirens".
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Now Only | Mobius Operandi | End of the Dial. | Mobius Music | 00:00 | |
| Embert, Rumel & Frumentus | Bart Hopkin | Instrumentarium Hopkinis. | Experimental Musical Instruments | 00:00 | |
| Robinson | Bart Hopkin | After Seven Years. | Experimental Musical Instruments | 00:00 | |
| Plousch | Bart Hopkin | After Seven Years. | Experimental Musical Instruments | 00:00 | |
| Aquavina & Cowbells | Bart Hopkin | Instrumentarium Hopkinis. | Experimental Musical Instruments | 00:00 | |
| Baby Please Don't Go | Bart Hopkin | Instrumentarium Hopkinis. | Experimental Musical Instruments | 00:00 |






