Anhedonia

Abstract

This piece is inspired by research on a phenomenon called musical anhedonia. This topic has fascinated me because I have such a deep connection with music and this affinity has informed my dancing throughout my career. Musical anhedonia is a condition where the brain does not receive music as a pleasurable response. This discovery has been researched in Current Biology and is a fairly new topic that still poses further questions. It is not completely certain why or how this happens but there is continuing speculation and research, including its effects on visual arts. I have always been intrigued by the workings of the human body and mind. This condition inspired me to create a very bold piece accompanied by original music and graphics. I wanted to embody the musical experience from inward to outward taking the feel of the music to an extreme. I want this piece to allow anyone who watches it to know how it feels to listen to music on a technical and personal level. This piece takes inspiration from many facets of artistry and I hope it can showcase exploration of this material and question how it can be displayed in a marriage of science and art.