Nyuidj

Nyuidj
Nyuidj is the spirit of the dead in the culture of indigenous Australian people. In a traditional ceremony known as a Wangga, a songman plays the didgeridoo while beating sticks and singing songs typically dealing with themes related to death and regeneration. This work, titled Nyuidj, after the spirit of the dead, places the solo bass clarinetist in the role of the songman, playing a quasi-didgeridoo throughout. All of the material played by the soloist is echoed in the pre-recorded tape parts that emanate from the loudspeakers surrounding the performer. The loudspeakers are meant to create the effect of absorbing the soloist’s material and transforming it into a spatial sound reflection.