Abstract:

The impact of music on our minds is well documented through many research projects. Issues of mind and matter have also been discussed and debated world over in various religious traditions and philosophies. However; when one is asked to merge music, mind and matter through a stage set, the task becomes challenging. In this paper, the author will discuss her experience of utilizing the available technology for a collaborative stage set design project for an Oscar winning composer that required merging of music, mind and matter.
This unique project opportunity was presented to the author through a museum and the theater director who were involved in bringing the Oscar winning composer on the campus. The project encompassed designing a set for this Oscar winning composer’s ensemble, who was invited on the campus to celebrate the three Abrahamic sacred musical traditions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. This celebration was being held to honor a gift of a prestigious Bible the author’s University received in winter 2012.
In this paper the author will describe the scope of the project, the research and design process, communication methods her team utilized to collaborate during this project, new software, communication technologies, and equipment her team adapted to design and build this set. The author will also discuss the challenges her team had to overcome including the time difference between the collaborators: The Oscar winning composer lived in California and the author and her graduate students resided in Kansas. Another challenge was time: the author and her students did not have too much time to design this set and had to receive approval throughout the design process from the composer.
To overcome this and other challenges, the author suggested using the new technology, various software and other internet tools to collaborate with the composer. In this paper, the author will share the research findings, design drawings and construction process. The author will conclude by presenting the final outcomes of this project and discuss how other design educators can utilize new technology to teach design and foster collaboration.

Keywords:

Set Design, E-Collaboration, New Technology, Music, Architecture and Design, Software.