Long String Instrument Installation

Nov 9, 2015

Celebrated artist and musician Ellen Fullman is in residence at Grinnell College Nov. 4 -14, building, rehearsing, holding workshops and performing her Long String Instrument installation.

For nearly 30 years, Fullman has been exploring the acoustics of large resonant spaces with her Long String Instrument. The installation, at least 53 feet long, is comprised of approximately 100 precisely tuned wires strung across a room. Its strings are tuned very low so that when played, the Long String Instrument sounds similar to an organ.

Fullman's performance, which is free and open to the public, will start at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in Main Hall Quad Dining Hall. Although admission is free, tickets are required. They will be available beginning Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Box Office in Bucksbaum Center for the Arts.

Fullman has received numerous awards, commissions and residencies including:

A 2015 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists award,
Two Center for Cultural Innovation Grants (2008 and 2013),
A Japan/U.S. Friendship Commission/National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Japan (2007), and
A DAAD Artists-in-Berlin residency (2000)

Throughout her career, Fullman has recorded extensively with the Long String Instrument and has collaborated with numerous artists. The Wire selected two of her releases, "Ort" and "Fluctuations," among the top 50 recordings of 2004 and 2008.

Sponsoring the installation and related events are Artists@Grinnell, the Center for the Humanities, Department of Music, and Public Events Series.

Grinnell welcomes and encourages the participation of people with disabilities. Accommodation requests may be made to Conference Operations and Events.