BIG EARS

I've been involved with the internationally-renowned Big Ears Festival since its return from hiatus in 2014. Called "the widest angle music festival in the country" by the New York Times, Big Ears is a festival that celebrates the never-ending adventure of artistic creation and exploration. Audience and artists alike can expect once-in-a-lifetime experiences across multiple venues in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.

2014 Festival:
I was the lead production runner for the festival. This included airport pick-ups and drop offs, hospitality refreshes at venues, artist transportation.

2016 Festival:
I was the FOH Manager for The Standard, one of the venues for Big Ears. I handled artist relations and hospitality, line management, security meetings, communication with marketing team regarding capacity. I assisted with some production load in/out, sponsorship activations and events.

Highlights:
- Working with the installation of Lou Reed Drones, a set up of Reed's guitars and amps creating a wall of noise and ambient sound, facilitated by Stewart Hurwood, Reed's former guitar tech.

2017 Festival:
I was the special projects manger for the festival. I handled festival signage, secret shows, panels, the pop-up record store, and outdoor performances.

Highlights:
- Organized an outdoor performance of the late Pauline Oliveros' "Rock Piece" with Emily Manzo
- Advanced and produced an outdoor performance of Jem Cohen's "Gravity Hill Sound + Image", featuring Cohen's films projected by Optical Animal on the walls of a downtown building, set to a live, improvised score by: Xylouris White, Matana Roberts, Jessica Moss, White Magic, Guy Picciotto.
- Worked with local record store, Wild Honey, to set up a pop-up record shop in the box office and information center of the festival.
- Faciliated a showing of Mike Weintrob's Instrumenthead photo exhibition.

Secret Shows: Dave Harrington DJ set, Claire Chase solo, Dustan Louque with Nels Cline, Clarice Jensen & Greg Saunier, Xylouris White

Panels:
- Musical Interpretations of Middle America w/ Matana Roberts, M. C. Schmidt (Matmos), Ed Rodriguez (Deerhoof), John Dieterich (Deerhoof)
- Uproot: a Presentation by Jace Clayton
- Folk Traditions in a Hyper-connected World w/ Emilia Amper, Wu Fei, Carissa Stolting, Shane Parish (Ahleuchatistas)
- Making Art in a Time of Rage w/ Greg Saunier (Deerhoof), Cécile Schott (Colleen), Jessica Moss
- Pauline Oliveros – Impact and Influence w/ Emily Manzo (Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner), Alvin Curran
- When in Rome: a Glimpse into the Knoxville Music Scene w/ Mayor Madeline Rogero, Black Atticus, Jason Boardman, Eric Dawson, and Kelle Jolly
- Das Buch: a presentation by Hans-Joachim Roedelius
- INSTRUMENT: A Fugazi Documentary Q&A w/ Jem Cohen, Guy Picciotto, Eric Dawson
- Festivals Like This w/ Ross Marshall, Reiner Michalke, Ashley Capps, Bob Van Heur
- Norwegian Invasion: w/ Nils Økland, Lars Petter Hagen, Jan Ole Otnæs and Helge Sten

2018 Festival:
I was the special projects manger for the festival. I handled festival signage, secret shows, panels, and a 12-hour overnight concert.

Highlights:
- Booked SUUNS
- Organized the 12-hour drone overnight concert. For more information, click here.
- Facilitated the Knoxville premiere of Ben Shemie's "Music For Two Radios" - a unique, one-time-only event where Ben broadcasted audio on two radio stations simultaneously, to be listened to on multiple radios.
- Facilitated the recording of every performance for archival purposes.

Secret Shows: Algiers, Jessica Moss, cup., SUUNS, Matt Nelson Trio, Tim Barnes

Panels:
- Spiritual Music In A Secular World w/ SONUS, Innov Gnawa, Vincent Moon
- A Conversation with Ben Ratliff, Laurel Halo, and Eli Keszler
- Listening in the Age of Abundance w/ Ben Ratliff & Damon Krukowski
- A Conversation with John Tarrant, Michelle Coltrane, and Vincent Moon
- 30 Years of Bang On A Can w/ David Lang, Michael Gordon, and Julia Wolfe
- Field Recordings w/ Nathan Salsburg, Emily Hilliard, Anna Roberts-Gevalt

2019 Festival:
I was the special projects manger for the festival. I handled rehearsals, secret shows, panels, the MOSAIC installation, and a 12-hour overnight concert. I also assisted with backline.

Highlights:
- Booked Jerusalem In My Heart, Kukangendai, and Rafiq Bhatia.
- Organized the 12-hour drone overnight concert. For more information, click here.
- Facilitated the world premiere of the grand finale of the MOSAIC Interactive collective, a group of artists from all over the globe. They gave three multi-disciplinary performances a day, related to the themes of Dreams, Rituals, and Memories.
- Handled all rehearsal requests, sourcing locations, backline and staff, particularly for Harold Budd's performances.
- Facilitated the recording of every performance for archival purposes.
- Organized an interactive workshop with Roscoe Mitchell teaching one of his master classes "Improvisation/Composition" at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Secret Shows: The Comet Is Coming, Susan Alcorn, Derek Gripper w/ Mehdi Nassouli, Evan Parker & Ned Rothenberg

Panels:
- Voices! w/ Theo Bleckmann, Kristin Anna Valtýsdóttir, Amirtha Kidambi
- Answering the Bach Cello Suites w/ Kim Kashkashian & Peter Gregson
- Separately and Together w/ Alvin Lucier & Joan LaBarbara
- Songs of our Ancestors: Making History Present in Music w/ Rhiannon Giddens, Richard Thompson, and Rachel Grimes
- Moving Forward In Both Directions: 50 Years of the Art Ensemble of Chicago w/ John Schaefer and Roscoe Mitchell
- Making Waves: Women In Music, presented by NAXOS w/ Rachel Grimes, Jlin and Natalie Lewis

2021 Festival:
I handled some rehearsals, production managed the Jackson Ave Terminal venue, and oversaw a specialized section of the merch store, featuring rarities and curated label selections. I also stage managed the Krewe du Cattywampus Parade and Street Party.