Percussionist Hannah Moore performs Minute of News by Eugene Novotney, Mesormerism by Joseph Spearman, and Gladstone Cadets by John S. Pratt (accompanied by Tres Perkins on Bass Drum), with Animation by Jamie Bridle and Gracie Denbow.

For the snare suite, we wanted our animations to build a narrative that reflects the tones of the 3 pieces. The opening piece, A Minute of News, set the basis of our concept. Our animations strive to show the mental effects news burnout (the experience of burnout from being overwhelmed by constant news cycles) and the possible interactions it can have in someone with other mental health issues. The wearing down of the character leads to an experience of a depressive episode in Mesomerism, though we experience a return to form in Gladstone Cadets as the character must continue to endeavor on through life.

Because of the cyclical nature of this condition, we emphasized cycles in our animation, in both the method we used to animate and the construction of the narrative. The animations were created using a series of animation methods, from hand-drawn, to computer generated, to the new technology of virtual reality-powered animation. This progression is reflective both of the development of animation mediums over time as well as the persistent nature of news burnout. (Note from Animators)

Hannah Moore Master's Recital, March 5, 2023