Imagine 60 miniature musical compositions, lasting no more than one minute each, created by musicians from around the world and presented back-to-back in a seamless one-hour event. The “60 x 60” is an electro-acoustic music event that is enhanced with artistic video. Founded by composer Robert Voisey in 2003 and eclectic by nature, “60 x 60” offers diversity of styles, making for a fast-speed, electrifying one-of-a-kind performance that never ceases to surprise, officials said.  

The event will be held on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Roland Hayes Concert Hall in the UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St.  Admission is free and no ticket is required. 

All individual performances of “60 x 60” are unique to the region where it is performed. Thus, this performance, which will be hosted and coordinated by UTC professor and composer Jonathan McNair, will be unique to Chattanooga and will not be repeated in its presented form.  

Over 35 different mixes of musical miniatures have been produced for this project, including a dance version. As Mr. Voisey states, “A minute can be plenty of time to express a whole gamut of imaginative sounds and movements, or it can be a challenge, forcing the artist to isolate what is most important in his/her work.”  

Musical styles include contemporary, neo-romantic, neo-classic, text-sound, ambient, environmental, noise, experimental, theatrical, folk, jazz, blues, tech-house, rock and everything but the kitchen sink (and maybe even that). Each new 60x60 event contains 60 compositions, each 60 seconds in length, presented continuously in a one-hour performance synchronized with a large, on-stage analog clock, which presents a slice of what is happening in the contemporary music scene. Selected works are chosen from an international pool of emerging and established composers.  

Mr. Voisey is highlighted as an entrepreneurial composer, composing electroacoustic and chamber music, his aesthetic oscillates from the ambient to the romantic. He embraces a variety of media for his compositions, and pioneers new venues to disseminate his music and reach audiences. His works have been performed in concert venues and radio broadcasts around the world. 

Mr. McNair is currently U. C. Foundation Associate Professor at UTC, where he serves as coordinator of Music Theory and artistic director of the biennial Contemporary Music Symposium. His career has embraced the creation and performance of new music, community outreach, academic teaching, publishing, and church music and his works have been performed by many ensembles and performers around the world.

This event is presented with the support of the Ruth Holmberg Chair in American Music at UTC, and the UTC Department of Music. For more information call Mr. McNair at 425-4679, or visit http://www.utc.edu/Academic/Music/Events.php.