Music Performance in the Galleries by Sam K. Sernavski

"what makes a river?" is an acousmatic piece inspired by the Kennedy Museum of Art exhibition of the same name. It examines the relationship between rivers and human influence by contrasting field recordings of Ohio rivers, water sounds captured at Ohio University’s School of Music, and synthesized electronic tones. The composition reflects musical contrasts between harmony and dissonance, idealized beauty and raw reality. As organic water sounds merge with artificial tones, the piece contemplates how time and humanity shape the character of rivers—at times nurturing them, at other times disrupting their natural flow.

Visitors are welcome to come and go through the  what makes a river?  gallery as Sam Sernavski performs. There will be chairs available if visitors choose to sit.

Sam K. Sernavski, a composer residing in Athens, Ohio, channels inspiration from 20th-century musique concrète, early electronic music, and visual arts. Sam's work delves into the psychoacoustic and physics of sound, creating immersive sonic landscapes. Currently a doctoral candidate in the Interdisciplinary Arts program at Ohio University, Sam's focus lies in music composition and the study of 20th-century Japanese musicology.