(un)certainty

Created by: composer Lawton Hall, percussionist Abby Fisher, and multimedia artist Mare Hirsch

(un)certainty is a live, interdisciplinary performance that brings together composer Lawton Hall, percussionist Abby Fisher, and multimedia artist Mare Hirsch. At the center of the work is a dialogue between Fisher on marimba and a ring of computer-controlled robotic woodblocks, forming an integrated ensemble of human and machine. The performance unfolds within an immersive environment of sound and shifting light, creating a multisensory landscape in which the audience and performers are encircled by rhythmic complexity.

This piece is inspired by the Muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab, a cutting-edge research effort in particle physics that measures the behavior of muons—strange, short-lived subatomic particles—using a superconducting magnetic ring. By interrogating tiny deviations in these particles’ motion, scientists seek to uncover new dimensions of physical law and challenge our understanding of the universe’s fundamental forces.

In this spirit, (un)certainty navigates the tension between order and unpredictability, mechanical precision and embodied expression. The marimba and robotic percussion engage in intricate polyrhythms, cycles, and subtle deviations, echoing the experimental nature of scientific discovery. (un)certainty also operates as an autonomous installation, which is on view through the weekend at Open Ears.