Metal Petals

Metal Petals is a musical puzzle.

Overview
The performer creates a musical composition by twisting, cutting, and gnarling flower petals made out of metal. Shaping the metal petals shapes the sound.

Sound
The sound begins as chaotic incomprehensible noise. The performer tames the noise by shaping the metal. The performer’s job is to shape the composition into something the audience can enjoy.

Materials
The metal petals are made of light thin metal sheeting, such as aluminum. The performer shapes the metal petals with tin snips and a hammer.

The Process
As the performer snips and shapes the metal petals, the sounds of working the metal are incorporated into the musical composition. The sound at any given moment is a stylized reflection of the shape of the “flower”. The performer reacts and adapts to changes in the sound in an improvisatory way.