Sabrina Wicker discussed the experience of interacting with the song, Ship of Democracy, performed by Ole Miss Choir
Interview Summary
The participant discussed their interaction with a performance of the song, Ship of Democracy, because of it’s emotional salience and unique political commentary. As someone who works in voting rights, this genre of music is very empowering to them. They first interacted with this piece as a junior in high school, when they believed they would go into a STEM major. This piece helped them realize their passion for social sciences, specifically social justice and activism. They interacted with this piece in the midst of the 2016 presidential election, as well as later during the Black Lives Matter movement. They realize now that if they had continued into a STEM field, they would be miserable. They categorize the piece as a critique on American militaristic culture, emphasizing the society that American culture shapes and reinforces. While they believe everyone has the ability to shape their own deeper meaning, society does play a role in how that meaning manifests, through the pressures and norms that society imposes. Overall, this song is a powerful piece that helped them discover their career path and continues to be a prevailing reminder of what they are working for.
Interview Transcript
Introduction
Interviewer: Okay, great. So in this interview we are interested in asking you to tell us about interacting with an artwork created by another artist. We're going to ask you to describe this experience in detail. Uh do you have any questions. Alright, so let's get started uh, so we'd like you to focus on your interaction with the particular artwork that someone else created. This may be a famous artwork or work that's not well known. It can be an artwork created by anyone other than you. Uh. The artwork could be from any of the following domains uh painting, drawing, such as graphic design or illustration, sculpture, stained glass, installation, music, songs, dance, performance art, film, and literature, such as poetry or drama, theater, fashion, crafts, mixed media, furniture design, architecture, interior design, plastic arts, or any other art. It's very inclusive. The artwork does not necessarily have to be the most important to you, but it should be meaningful and emotionally salient. It helps if your memories are vivid. But you don't have to remember everything about it. Okay. So have you chosen your artwork?
Participant: I have.
Description
Interviewer: Okay. Great. Uh so what is it.
Participant: Oh, so it's Ole Miss Choir performing a song called Ship of Democracy. I didn't create it, but I have sung that piece before, and that was a really cool experience, because my choir in high school about to perform it at Carnegie Hall. So very, very emotionally salient, because I've sung it before. A lot of good memories. Um! So I do have that up on Youtube. Um, but it's like a music performance, and then I chose– the whole thing is like twelve minutes long, but I chose like two minutes for the sake of time.
Interviewer: Yeah, uh, would you be able to share that on screen?
Participant: Oh, I think I need screen sharing enabled for me to do so the actual piece itself
Interviewer: Okay I think that you are able to to share.
Participant: Okay, let me just get through all these ads, and then i'll start it where I think that piece starts. Okay, Is that sharing properly?
Interviewer: Um, yes.
Participant: I’ll also turn up my volume a little bit, actually go up to like it goes three fifteen, And then would you like me to play the clip that I choose?
Interviewer: Yeah, that would be great.
Participant: Perfect
Interviewer: So I'm not sure if there is a way for the audio to come in from the From this recording
Participant: I apologize.
Interviewer: Um, yeah, I'm not sure if the audio, if it can come through from your recording, I'm not sure why I was checking on my end. I don't see an option.
Participant: Let me check my settings briefly. Let me, okay, Um, yeah, that's where it should be. Oh, share sound. Would you want me to start over that section that I just played, or there's another minute left to you.
Interviewer: Oh yeah, you can just start it from here, I think would be fine
Participant: Okay. And then that was what I chose as the clip from that piece.
Interviewer: Okay, Great. Thank you. Yeah. Out of the screen sharing.
Participant: Yes, I will stop sharing
Interviewer: There we go. Great. Thank you. Um, so could you uh describe this piece for me uh some of the important details about it.
Participant: Um, so it's called Ship of Democracy. So when we performed it– when my choir performed it, it was at Carnegie Hall for a veterans Day celebration. Um, but it's a very, very powerful piece, um, talking about– it's kind of like– how do I want to describe it– uh, talking about, like, it almost has a very war-like feel, especially in the clip that I chose from it. Kind of going back and forth between battle and not, and then tying into the entire piece and stuff like that, it talks a lot more about, like, American culture and, uh, things like that. Um, I think it's a very, very powerful song. It's one of those songs because we also did in that same set that we performed this piece at, um, like, fanfares and stuff like that, uh, which I think are very more like kind of overtly patriotic, and remind you more of, like, the pledge of allegiance and things like that. But this one is very unique in the sense that it's kind of– it’s almost like a political commentary. Um, so I think it's a really really fascinating piece. Um, first of all, it's like a super super– it's a very, very large work, um, usually meant to be done, you know, like full accompaniment and everything uh, but it's a very, very powerful song. Um, a lot of these kind of like, huge, like, crescendoing moments uh, and things of that nature. Um! And I just think for that reason, like, out of all of the pieces that we did there, I would say that that was probably the most– the one set up most in my head, because in the work that I do now, and stuff related to democracy and stuff that one's the one that keeps recurring, because I think of that kind of like powerful, almost like social justice narrative that I would say that it has.
Why did you choose this one? (Specialness)
Interviewer: great. Thank you. Is there anything else you'd like to say about why you chose this one and does. Did the genre or uh medium? Is there anything about the genre that's meaningful or distinguishing for you?
Participant: Yeah, I would definitely say so. You know, like rather than I think, as a classical singer, you do a lot of things like from like the Renaissance or Baroque or classical period. Um, and those are all like– you know, as like a classic vocalist, like, you know, I I do love those pieces obviously. But there's something about this that is, first of all more modern. Um, I wanted to– ship of democracy, it was definitely written somewhere in the nineteenth that twentieth century. Um! But I want to say definitely, probably the last century or so. Um. And I think this specific type is so modern. It's so current that it really kind of resonates with people. Um talking about the topics and stuff rather than someone singing in like Latin about things that happened several thousand years ago. Um! And then the way it's written itself uh again. It's a very powerful piece rather than you know, kind of like what people think about like opera and like. Oh, this is so fun, and it's so light. Um, it's very powerful.
Process of Interacting
What led up to the interaction? What motivated you to explore this piece?
Interviewer: great. Um! So now uh, let's talk about the experience and process of interacting with the artwork. Uh by answering uh a few questions. Uh. So what led up to this uh interaction? And then what motivated you to explore this piece?
Participant: Um! So. Can you cover what you mean by what led up to it?
Interviewer: Kind of, what led up to the decision to um interact with this piece?
Participant: Um, So like I said, I have performed this piece before. Um and again for me there's a lot of personal relevance because I performed in such a notable time in my life. Uh again, it's associated with like the memory of actually going and performing it in New York. Um! What I think the reason that I chose it out of all of the pieces that I have done was that it really did stand out. Um, I love the genre of sort of like activism music uh the other one I think of is that a lot of people know from like the civil rights movement, um, is We Shall Overcome. Uh, I was actually kind of between those two pieces. Uh, I think that those always stand out to me because of the work that I do. So I work in voting rights which you can imagine I have not slept in weeks. It's an election season. Um! But those songs are always very, very empowering to me again, especially being something that is so relevant to my life. Um! And so I think that's kind of why this stood out in my head of um. You know democracy. That's the world I have been in for years. It's the world that I'm especially really really in now. Uh, So I think just that out of all the pieces I do. This is probably the one that has the most meaning, not only because it's like a more current song, but also because we sing a lot of things that are not in English. So in terms of like actual meeting of the words themselves, um with other pieces that I've done before with other pieces that I've listened to. Uh for me. Lyrics and topic are like very, very important to the music that I choose to listen to. So I think that's probably why I chose this piece.
When and where did the experience happen? Who was involved besides you (if anyone)?
Interviewer: Okay great thank you. So we talked a little bit about these questions but I wanted to see if you wanted to add anything to uh when and where did the experience take place and who was involved besides you?
Participant: Yeah. So again, Carnegie Hall, New York. Um, Who is involved too? I guess that's another part of why it's so emotionally relevant uh like that whole experience. And being with our choirs, we always say, like our two choirs, were like a huge family, and this is actually our last tour that we got to go on before Covid hit too um. But it was just like everyone had such a good time like I don't know of a single person that did not have a good time on that tour. Even our director was like he wasn't supposed to tell us this, but he told us years later that he he was more impressed with um that year's uh cohort of that choir than like other years, and he told us like kind of around when we were graduating um, And so the people, I think, involved too were also very, very relevant, because I also associated with, you know, like being backstage with all of my friends and us being super nervous to go on, and all that fun stuff.
What were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the artwork?
Interviewer: Great, Thank you. Um! Do you want to say anything else about how you were thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of that. Um,
Participant: Yeah. And so I would say again. The piece definitely ebbs and flows. It has uh it starts off a lot more kind of subdued, and then it crescendos somewhere in the piece, and that's kind of where it's got the the piece that I chose, and then by the end it kind of settles. It ends pretty powerfully, but it's not as much as like that clip And so part of that, I think, is the nature of music. A lot of larger works like that. That's kind of the goal. Uh, but too like there's the kind of like listening. Oh, this is so pretty! And wow! That's so impressive! And oh, this is so pretty. Um! So again a lot of kind of like ebbing and flowing as the piece changes, and but also I think it's also kind of intended to do so.
Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the way?
Interviewer: Great um! Can you describe any high points, low points, or challenges, or turning points along the way in your interaction with this piece?
Participant: Um. So I would definitely say that kind of uh middle piece, where they say on the sole voyage. Uh, and then they have that sharp cut off. That's a huge piece, because it goes from the minor key, and like the where they go, buildings, buildings, buildings back and forth, and the cannon, and then it resolves up into a major key uh, and then on the soles voyage, and everything which is also just like a very beautiful lyric as well, too. Um, that's a very, very huge turning point in that piece. Um, because again you see this huge like change in mood
Interviewer: mhm,
Let's talk a little bit about the impact of the artwork on you and your life.
What did you learn from the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you learn anything about yourself?
Interviewer: Great. Thank you. Um. So let's talk a little bit about the impact of this piece on you and your life. Uh. So what did you learn from the process of interacting with this piece. And did you learn anything about yourself or about others?
Participant: I would definitely say again, this piece is very relevant to the work that I do, and I sung this when I was a Junior in High School. Um! And at that point in my life I thought that I might be like premed. I thought that I was going to uh go into like a very, very stem field, and then especially once kind of Covid hit once black lives matter, movement started. I was like. There is no way, like I am a social scientist. I'm not a quantitative scientist. Um, I like a lot more of the I like Academia, but I like the very social scientific, interpersonal uh connecting with people helping people side of it, and not necessarily in a super stem way. Um, so I would say, doing pieces like this, but specifically kind of this set of songs when we performed it. Um! It was one of those things that started to make me really realize how my interests leaned a lot more toward the kind of social justice and activism side of things rather than the super heavy uh like stem science, biology, pre-med side of it.
Do you think that the artist intended the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways?
Interviewer: Great. Thank you. Um! So do you think that the composer intended for this piece to affect others or the world in any particular ways
Participant: Oh entirely. Um again it’s called Ship of Democracy uh that’s huge in terms of trying to impact the world.
Did your experience with the artwork affect your understanding of others or “the world?”
Interviewer: Mhm great. And then did your experience with this piece affect your understandings of others or the world?
Participant: Yeah, um. Again, this is the piece. I wish we knew a little bit more about the history of the piece. Frankly, I should. But uh, it's very much kind of it has a very war-like feel in parts of it kind of going back and forth, making commentary about different parts of the world. Um, so for I I think it's others in a very broad sense, maybe not individual others, but a lot more when we talk about like American war-loving culture. Um, it's very, very relevant to those conversations about. You know. How do we feel view like the American dream and American ideals as a whole?
When some people think about themselves, they see some parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you have any insights about your own authentic (or inauthentic) self?
Interviewer: Thank you. Um. So when people uh, When some people think about themselves, they see some parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork. Do you have any insights about your own authentic or inauthentic self?
Participant: Yeah. So it was like I said before. Uh again, initially hearing this piece I was Oh, i'll totally be premed. Oh, i'll totally be. Maybe you some sort of clinician. Um! And it was definitely something kind of like this that made me realize, like I really like more of that social justice activist fear um like at the end of the day. If I was like in like organic chemistry right now, like I would be absolutely miserable. Um, as close as I can get is like brain science, and that's even still like That's nothing to chemistry. Um. So I think it's definitely made me realize um how much I kind of lean toward like those tendencies, and, like, you know, social science, social activism, things like that
Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep, underlying meaning that transcends subjective, personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering, as well as spirituality.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the artwork?
Interviewer: great. Thank you. Um. So some people believe in ultimate meaning. So this is defined as deep underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature about existence and identity and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with this piece?
Participant: Mhm I would say, maybe not so much like you, you know, upon listening on it on my own. But when I think about it so the piece itself is kind of like a. It's a critique of like American militaristic culture. I would kind of say, I kind of categorize it that way. Um! And so for me, like deeper meaning is less spiritual, but it's more constructed. Uh, we get to kind of shape our meaning. We get to shape our role in the world. Um! So I think when we're talking specifically in terms of democracy, you get to kind of shape your own deeper meaning and society will also kind of shape, maybe like how that manifests, or how it influences you. Um, But I would say less so from like a spiritual perspective, and more so in the sense that, like you know our conditions, and that both us as individuals, but also kind of societal pressures and norms can shape what every individual person's social meaning is.
Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs/experiences (such as perceived interactions with God) but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences, or interaction with spirits.
Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
Interviewer: Uh, so some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs and experiences such as uh perceived interactions with God, but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences or interaction with spirits. Did you have any kinds, any kind of these experiences during your interaction with this piece.
Participant: Um, specifically is it related to this piece? I would not say so. Um again. I think there for me, like the the most almost seemingly inhuman thing, was like the level of emotion that I think pieces like this can bring up. But would I say, would I necessarily call that something spiritual or like from a higher being. No,
How old were you?
Interviewer: Um. So you may have already answered some of these questions a little bit, but just want to make sure for clarification. So how old were you when you uh performed this piece?
Participant: So when I performed this piece when I was a junior in high school I would have been okay. It would have been November. So I would have been freshly sixteen.
How do you perceive the quality of the work?
Interviewer: Okay. And then how do you perceive the quality of this piece
Participant: of this piece in particular, and the way that it's performed in the video or of the piece as a whole.
Interviewer: Um of the piece as a whole
Participant: Um, I would again a very high quality piece out of all of the songs that we performed. Um in that set I would say this was by far kind of I, I would say the coolest, but the the best
What was going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the artwork?
Interviewer: Mhm great um! And then you already talked a little bit about this. But I wondered if you had anything else to add to what was going on in your life around the time that when you performed this piece,
Participant: Yeah, and I, this also was um kind of outside of like where it was in my life, but it was also politically. It was post two thousand and sixteen election, which was kind of, I think, was sort of getting me into politics and activism. Um, and then we were just kind of on our way to the two thousand and twenty election. Um. So the American political sphere like I felt very weird doing a Veteran’s Day performance in that kind of political sphere as well, so I was like I don't know if I fully agree with this um again. Luckily we had pieces like this. And so I think that was another thing that was super relevant to where I was really starting to understand. Like my role as it related to. I wanted to be an involved in politics, but more so, just kind of like the state of the world.
Interviewer: Great. Yeah, that was great. Thank you so much. Um.
End of Art Interaction Story
Interviewer: So now i'd like to uh inform you about an opportunity to have the artwork you selected and excerpt from your interview featured on a website. Uh, so please know this is completely optional. There's no pressure to agree. Your decision will not affect your uh participation credit in any way, Uh would you like to hear about this opportunity? Okay. So we plan to post um. You know photographs or recordings of the artworks described by participants of this study along with excerpts from the interviews. Um on a website that publishes publicizes the research project. So we think that it will increase the visibility of our studies in the larger project to the academic community and the public. Uh, if you're interested, we'll email you a link to a consent form where you may indicate your willingness to include the piece and excerpt from your interview, either anonymously or with your identifying information. So what would it be okay if we sent you that link, and there's no pressure to um. Agree or not, we can. We'll just send you the link.
Participant: Yeah that sounds awesome!
Interviewer: Okay, Great Thanks. So much for your time on the interview. Um! And then did you have any other uh questions for me about anything.
The participant discussed their interaction with a performance of the song, Ship of Democracy, because of it’s emotional salience and unique political commentary. As someone who works in voting rights, this genre of music is very empowering to them. They first interacted with this piece as a junior in high school, when they believed they would go into a STEM major. This piece helped them realize their passion for social sciences, specifically social justice and activism. They interacted with this piece in the midst of the 2016 presidential election, as well as later during the Black Lives Matter movement. They realize now that if they had continued into a STEM field, they would be miserable. They categorize the piece as a critique on American militaristic culture, emphasizing the society that American culture shapes and reinforces. While they believe everyone has the ability to shape their own deeper meaning, society does play a role in how that meaning manifests, through the pressures and norms that society imposes. Overall, this song is a powerful piece that helped them discover their career path and continues to be a prevailing reminder of what they are working for.
Interview Transcript
Introduction
Interviewer: Okay, great. So in this interview we are interested in asking you to tell us about interacting with an artwork created by another artist. We're going to ask you to describe this experience in detail. Uh do you have any questions. Alright, so let's get started uh, so we'd like you to focus on your interaction with the particular artwork that someone else created. This may be a famous artwork or work that's not well known. It can be an artwork created by anyone other than you. Uh. The artwork could be from any of the following domains uh painting, drawing, such as graphic design or illustration, sculpture, stained glass, installation, music, songs, dance, performance art, film, and literature, such as poetry or drama, theater, fashion, crafts, mixed media, furniture design, architecture, interior design, plastic arts, or any other art. It's very inclusive. The artwork does not necessarily have to be the most important to you, but it should be meaningful and emotionally salient. It helps if your memories are vivid. But you don't have to remember everything about it. Okay. So have you chosen your artwork?
Participant: I have.
Description
Interviewer: Okay. Great. Uh so what is it.
Participant: Oh, so it's Ole Miss Choir performing a song called Ship of Democracy. I didn't create it, but I have sung that piece before, and that was a really cool experience, because my choir in high school about to perform it at Carnegie Hall. So very, very emotionally salient, because I've sung it before. A lot of good memories. Um! So I do have that up on Youtube. Um, but it's like a music performance, and then I chose– the whole thing is like twelve minutes long, but I chose like two minutes for the sake of time.
Interviewer: Yeah, uh, would you be able to share that on screen?
Participant: Oh, I think I need screen sharing enabled for me to do so the actual piece itself
Interviewer: Okay I think that you are able to to share.
Participant: Okay, let me just get through all these ads, and then i'll start it where I think that piece starts. Okay, Is that sharing properly?
Interviewer: Um, yes.
Participant: I’ll also turn up my volume a little bit, actually go up to like it goes three fifteen, And then would you like me to play the clip that I choose?
Interviewer: Yeah, that would be great.
Participant: Perfect
Interviewer: So I'm not sure if there is a way for the audio to come in from the From this recording
Participant: I apologize.
Interviewer: Um, yeah, I'm not sure if the audio, if it can come through from your recording, I'm not sure why I was checking on my end. I don't see an option.
Participant: Let me check my settings briefly. Let me, okay, Um, yeah, that's where it should be. Oh, share sound. Would you want me to start over that section that I just played, or there's another minute left to you.
Interviewer: Oh yeah, you can just start it from here, I think would be fine
Participant: Okay. And then that was what I chose as the clip from that piece.
Interviewer: Okay, Great. Thank you. Yeah. Out of the screen sharing.
Participant: Yes, I will stop sharing
Interviewer: There we go. Great. Thank you. Um, so could you uh describe this piece for me uh some of the important details about it.
Participant: Um, so it's called Ship of Democracy. So when we performed it– when my choir performed it, it was at Carnegie Hall for a veterans Day celebration. Um, but it's a very, very powerful piece, um, talking about– it's kind of like– how do I want to describe it– uh, talking about, like, it almost has a very war-like feel, especially in the clip that I chose from it. Kind of going back and forth between battle and not, and then tying into the entire piece and stuff like that, it talks a lot more about, like, American culture and, uh, things like that. Um, I think it's a very, very powerful song. It's one of those songs because we also did in that same set that we performed this piece at, um, like, fanfares and stuff like that, uh, which I think are very more like kind of overtly patriotic, and remind you more of, like, the pledge of allegiance and things like that. But this one is very unique in the sense that it's kind of– it’s almost like a political commentary. Um, so I think it's a really really fascinating piece. Um, first of all, it's like a super super– it's a very, very large work, um, usually meant to be done, you know, like full accompaniment and everything uh, but it's a very, very powerful song. Um, a lot of these kind of like, huge, like, crescendoing moments uh, and things of that nature. Um! And I just think for that reason, like, out of all of the pieces that we did there, I would say that that was probably the most– the one set up most in my head, because in the work that I do now, and stuff related to democracy and stuff that one's the one that keeps recurring, because I think of that kind of like powerful, almost like social justice narrative that I would say that it has.
Why did you choose this one? (Specialness)
Interviewer: great. Thank you. Is there anything else you'd like to say about why you chose this one and does. Did the genre or uh medium? Is there anything about the genre that's meaningful or distinguishing for you?
Participant: Yeah, I would definitely say so. You know, like rather than I think, as a classical singer, you do a lot of things like from like the Renaissance or Baroque or classical period. Um, and those are all like– you know, as like a classic vocalist, like, you know, I I do love those pieces obviously. But there's something about this that is, first of all more modern. Um, I wanted to– ship of democracy, it was definitely written somewhere in the nineteenth that twentieth century. Um! But I want to say definitely, probably the last century or so. Um. And I think this specific type is so modern. It's so current that it really kind of resonates with people. Um talking about the topics and stuff rather than someone singing in like Latin about things that happened several thousand years ago. Um! And then the way it's written itself uh again. It's a very powerful piece rather than you know, kind of like what people think about like opera and like. Oh, this is so fun, and it's so light. Um, it's very powerful.
Process of Interacting
What led up to the interaction? What motivated you to explore this piece?
Interviewer: great. Um! So now uh, let's talk about the experience and process of interacting with the artwork. Uh by answering uh a few questions. Uh. So what led up to this uh interaction? And then what motivated you to explore this piece?
Participant: Um! So. Can you cover what you mean by what led up to it?
Interviewer: Kind of, what led up to the decision to um interact with this piece?
Participant: Um, So like I said, I have performed this piece before. Um and again for me there's a lot of personal relevance because I performed in such a notable time in my life. Uh again, it's associated with like the memory of actually going and performing it in New York. Um! What I think the reason that I chose it out of all of the pieces that I have done was that it really did stand out. Um, I love the genre of sort of like activism music uh the other one I think of is that a lot of people know from like the civil rights movement, um, is We Shall Overcome. Uh, I was actually kind of between those two pieces. Uh, I think that those always stand out to me because of the work that I do. So I work in voting rights which you can imagine I have not slept in weeks. It's an election season. Um! But those songs are always very, very empowering to me again, especially being something that is so relevant to my life. Um! And so I think that's kind of why this stood out in my head of um. You know democracy. That's the world I have been in for years. It's the world that I'm especially really really in now. Uh, So I think just that out of all the pieces I do. This is probably the one that has the most meaning, not only because it's like a more current song, but also because we sing a lot of things that are not in English. So in terms of like actual meeting of the words themselves, um with other pieces that I've done before with other pieces that I've listened to. Uh for me. Lyrics and topic are like very, very important to the music that I choose to listen to. So I think that's probably why I chose this piece.
When and where did the experience happen? Who was involved besides you (if anyone)?
Interviewer: Okay great thank you. So we talked a little bit about these questions but I wanted to see if you wanted to add anything to uh when and where did the experience take place and who was involved besides you?
Participant: Yeah. So again, Carnegie Hall, New York. Um, Who is involved too? I guess that's another part of why it's so emotionally relevant uh like that whole experience. And being with our choirs, we always say, like our two choirs, were like a huge family, and this is actually our last tour that we got to go on before Covid hit too um. But it was just like everyone had such a good time like I don't know of a single person that did not have a good time on that tour. Even our director was like he wasn't supposed to tell us this, but he told us years later that he he was more impressed with um that year's uh cohort of that choir than like other years, and he told us like kind of around when we were graduating um, And so the people, I think, involved too were also very, very relevant, because I also associated with, you know, like being backstage with all of my friends and us being super nervous to go on, and all that fun stuff.
What were you thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of interacting with the artwork?
Interviewer: Great, Thank you. Um! Do you want to say anything else about how you were thinking and feeling at different times throughout the process of that. Um,
Participant: Yeah. And so I would say again. The piece definitely ebbs and flows. It has uh it starts off a lot more kind of subdued, and then it crescendos somewhere in the piece, and that's kind of where it's got the the piece that I chose, and then by the end it kind of settles. It ends pretty powerfully, but it's not as much as like that clip And so part of that, I think, is the nature of music. A lot of larger works like that. That's kind of the goal. Uh, but too like there's the kind of like listening. Oh, this is so pretty! And wow! That's so impressive! And oh, this is so pretty. Um! So again a lot of kind of like ebbing and flowing as the piece changes, and but also I think it's also kind of intended to do so.
Can you describe any high points, low points or challenges, or turning points along the way?
Interviewer: Great um! Can you describe any high points, low points, or challenges, or turning points along the way in your interaction with this piece?
Participant: Um. So I would definitely say that kind of uh middle piece, where they say on the sole voyage. Uh, and then they have that sharp cut off. That's a huge piece, because it goes from the minor key, and like the where they go, buildings, buildings, buildings back and forth, and the cannon, and then it resolves up into a major key uh, and then on the soles voyage, and everything which is also just like a very beautiful lyric as well, too. Um, that's a very, very huge turning point in that piece. Um, because again you see this huge like change in mood
Interviewer: mhm,
Let's talk a little bit about the impact of the artwork on you and your life.
What did you learn from the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you learn anything about yourself?
Interviewer: Great. Thank you. Um. So let's talk a little bit about the impact of this piece on you and your life. Uh. So what did you learn from the process of interacting with this piece. And did you learn anything about yourself or about others?
Participant: I would definitely say again, this piece is very relevant to the work that I do, and I sung this when I was a Junior in High School. Um! And at that point in my life I thought that I might be like premed. I thought that I was going to uh go into like a very, very stem field, and then especially once kind of Covid hit once black lives matter, movement started. I was like. There is no way, like I am a social scientist. I'm not a quantitative scientist. Um, I like a lot more of the I like Academia, but I like the very social scientific, interpersonal uh connecting with people helping people side of it, and not necessarily in a super stem way. Um, so I would say, doing pieces like this, but specifically kind of this set of songs when we performed it. Um! It was one of those things that started to make me really realize how my interests leaned a lot more toward the kind of social justice and activism side of things rather than the super heavy uh like stem science, biology, pre-med side of it.
Do you think that the artist intended the work to affect others or the world in any particular ways?
Interviewer: Great. Thank you. Um! So do you think that the composer intended for this piece to affect others or the world in any particular ways
Participant: Oh entirely. Um again it’s called Ship of Democracy uh that’s huge in terms of trying to impact the world.
Did your experience with the artwork affect your understanding of others or “the world?”
Interviewer: Mhm great. And then did your experience with this piece affect your understandings of others or the world?
Participant: Yeah, um. Again, this is the piece. I wish we knew a little bit more about the history of the piece. Frankly, I should. But uh, it's very much kind of it has a very war-like feel in parts of it kind of going back and forth, making commentary about different parts of the world. Um, so for I I think it's others in a very broad sense, maybe not individual others, but a lot more when we talk about like American war-loving culture. Um, it's very, very relevant to those conversations about. You know. How do we feel view like the American dream and American ideals as a whole?
When some people think about themselves, they see some parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork? Did you have any insights about your own authentic (or inauthentic) self?
Interviewer: Thank you. Um. So when people uh, When some people think about themselves, they see some parts of themselves as deeply true, real, or authentic. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about your true nature during the process of interacting with the artwork. Do you have any insights about your own authentic or inauthentic self?
Participant: Yeah. So it was like I said before. Uh again, initially hearing this piece I was Oh, i'll totally be premed. Oh, i'll totally be. Maybe you some sort of clinician. Um! And it was definitely something kind of like this that made me realize, like I really like more of that social justice activist fear um like at the end of the day. If I was like in like organic chemistry right now, like I would be absolutely miserable. Um, as close as I can get is like brain science, and that's even still like That's nothing to chemistry. Um. So I think it's definitely made me realize um how much I kind of lean toward like those tendencies, and, like, you know, social science, social activism, things like that
Some people believe in ultimate meaning. This is defined as deep, underlying meaning that transcends subjective, personal meaning. It is about the nature of existence and identity, and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering, as well as spirituality.
If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with the artwork?
Interviewer: great. Thank you. Um. So some people believe in ultimate meaning. So this is defined as deep underlying meaning that transcends subjective personal meaning. It is about the nature about existence and identity and it may include ideas about the significance of suffering as well as spirituality. If this idea resonates with you, did you learn anything about ultimate meaning during the process of interacting with this piece?
Participant: Mhm I would say, maybe not so much like you, you know, upon listening on it on my own. But when I think about it so the piece itself is kind of like a. It's a critique of like American militaristic culture. I would kind of say, I kind of categorize it that way. Um! And so for me, like deeper meaning is less spiritual, but it's more constructed. Uh, we get to kind of shape our meaning. We get to shape our role in the world. Um! So I think when we're talking specifically in terms of democracy, you get to kind of shape your own deeper meaning and society will also kind of shape, maybe like how that manifests, or how it influences you. Um, But I would say less so from like a spiritual perspective, and more so in the sense that, like you know our conditions, and that both us as individuals, but also kind of societal pressures and norms can shape what every individual person's social meaning is.
Some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs/experiences (such as perceived interactions with God) but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences, or interaction with spirits.
Did you have any of these kinds of experiences during the interaction with the artwork?
Interviewer: Uh, so some people believe or perceive a reality beyond the physical or material world. This may include religious beliefs and experiences such as uh perceived interactions with God, but also may include mystical or transcendent experiences or interaction with spirits. Did you have any kinds, any kind of these experiences during your interaction with this piece.
Participant: Um, specifically is it related to this piece? I would not say so. Um again. I think there for me, like the the most almost seemingly inhuman thing, was like the level of emotion that I think pieces like this can bring up. But would I say, would I necessarily call that something spiritual or like from a higher being. No,
How old were you?
Interviewer: Um. So you may have already answered some of these questions a little bit, but just want to make sure for clarification. So how old were you when you uh performed this piece?
Participant: So when I performed this piece when I was a junior in high school I would have been okay. It would have been November. So I would have been freshly sixteen.
How do you perceive the quality of the work?
Interviewer: Okay. And then how do you perceive the quality of this piece
Participant: of this piece in particular, and the way that it's performed in the video or of the piece as a whole.
Interviewer: Um of the piece as a whole
Participant: Um, I would again a very high quality piece out of all of the songs that we performed. Um in that set I would say this was by far kind of I, I would say the coolest, but the the best
What was going on in your life around the time that you interacted with the artwork?
Interviewer: Mhm great um! And then you already talked a little bit about this. But I wondered if you had anything else to add to what was going on in your life around the time that when you performed this piece,
Participant: Yeah, and I, this also was um kind of outside of like where it was in my life, but it was also politically. It was post two thousand and sixteen election, which was kind of, I think, was sort of getting me into politics and activism. Um, and then we were just kind of on our way to the two thousand and twenty election. Um. So the American political sphere like I felt very weird doing a Veteran’s Day performance in that kind of political sphere as well, so I was like I don't know if I fully agree with this um again. Luckily we had pieces like this. And so I think that was another thing that was super relevant to where I was really starting to understand. Like my role as it related to. I wanted to be an involved in politics, but more so, just kind of like the state of the world.
Interviewer: Great. Yeah, that was great. Thank you so much. Um.
End of Art Interaction Story
Interviewer: So now i'd like to uh inform you about an opportunity to have the artwork you selected and excerpt from your interview featured on a website. Uh, so please know this is completely optional. There's no pressure to agree. Your decision will not affect your uh participation credit in any way, Uh would you like to hear about this opportunity? Okay. So we plan to post um. You know photographs or recordings of the artworks described by participants of this study along with excerpts from the interviews. Um on a website that publishes publicizes the research project. So we think that it will increase the visibility of our studies in the larger project to the academic community and the public. Uh, if you're interested, we'll email you a link to a consent form where you may indicate your willingness to include the piece and excerpt from your interview, either anonymously or with your identifying information. So what would it be okay if we sent you that link, and there's no pressure to um. Agree or not, we can. We'll just send you the link.
Participant: Yeah that sounds awesome!
Interviewer: Okay, Great Thanks. So much for your time on the interview. Um! And then did you have any other uh questions for me about anything.
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