About Sacred Ground
Listen to the album ↗Since the tragedy of September 11, I have carried in my heart the desire to create an audiovisual performance that honors the victims, their families, friends, and loved ones. Sacred Ground grew from that desire. It is a tribute shaped by remembrance and care for those whose lives were changed.
I believe art has the power to bring people together. Through sound and visual storytelling, I hope to serve the community by creating a space for reflection, healing, and forgiveness. A place to soften our hearts and keep the families in our prayers.
Artistic intention
My intention is to develop a sonic palette that reflects the events of September 11, drawing upon the sounds that surrounded us before, during, and after that tragic day. Experimental techniques and unconventional instrumentation give these reflections a musical voice.
Steel, wood, glass, and prepared instruments each have a distinct sonic character. By listening closely to these materials, I explore how familiar objects can become voices of memory, place, and hope. Together with the imagery, their sounds invite contemplation and remembrance.
9/11 Sacred Ground Exhibition Concepts
Sacred Ground can be presented as a live audiovisual memorial performance, an intimate listening gallery, or an immersive digital art installation.
A contemplative digital art exhibition
Visitors may engage with the visual work in quiet contemplation or experience it alongside the accompanying musical compositions.
Exhibition concept developed by monomelist. © 2026 monomelist. All rights reserved.
An intimate listening gallery
Sound and visual storytelling create a space for reflection, healing, and forgiveness. The listening gallery offers an intimate way to spend time with the work and its accompanying compositions.
Exhibition concept developed by monomelist. © 2026 monomelist. All rights reserved.
A shared space for remembrance
Each presentation offers a different perspective, guided by the same intention: to create a respectful space where memory is honored, connection is encouraged, and hope can find room.
Exhibition concept developed by monomelist. © 2026 monomelist. All rights reserved.
An immersive media installation
Together with the imagery, the sounds invite contemplation and remembrance. Immersive generative visuals and musical compositions bring this intention into a surrounding audiovisual environment.
Exhibition concept developed by monomelist. © 2026 monomelist. All rights reserved.
Sacred Ground Live Performance
Visualization at the Oculus
A concept for a site-specific Sacred Ground performance, bringing resonant materials and immersive visuals together in a shared space for remembrance.
Sacred Ground began as a live audiovisual performance and became an album dedicated to the victims of September 11. Custom-built instruments made from glass and wood, along with steel sculptures, served as the primary sound sources, accompanied by custom-generated visuals reflecting on the events and enduring legacy of that day.
My vision is to further develop this work into a site-specific live composition, using contact microphones to capture the natural resonance of these materials. Live sound processing and generative imagery would trace the unfolding events before, during, and after the tragic collapse of the towers, inviting reflection and remembrance.
This remains a performance proposal, subject to the hosting institution’s approval. My intention is to approach this work with care and reverence, honoring the lives lost and those forever changed by September 11.
My heart goes out to the families who live with the memories and lasting scars of that horrific day. Through this tribute, I hope to bring healing, encourage reflection, and offer comfort amidst the heartache.
© 2025 by monomelist. All rights reserved.
Sacred Ground
Instrumentation & Performance Methods
The compositional approach developed for Sacred Ground centered on transforming physical materials into musical instruments. Rather than relying solely on conventional instrumentation, the work was created by revealing the unique resonant qualities of objects through performance, amplification, and extended playing techniques.
For the original Sacred Ground recording, I designed and performed with a collection of custom-built instruments constructed from steel, glass, and wood. Using contact microphones and specialized performance techniques, these materials became the primary sound sources of the composition. Their natural resonance, texture, and acoustic character shaped both the musical language and the emotional atmosphere of the work.
Listen to the album ↗The instrumentation included:
- Steel sculpture with 30-inch steel beams
- Custom-built noise instruments
- Resonant glass objects
- Prepared guitar performed with an E-Bow
- Electric interference instrument
- Grand piano
The sound palette of Sacred Ground was shaped by a clear artistic intention: to connect the sonorities of the composition with the materials, memories, and emotions associated with September 11. Iron, steel, and glass became instruments chosen for both their natural resonance and their connection to the events. Alongside the prepared guitar, miked piano, and image-generated synthesizer patches, these materials provided a range of acoustic and electronic voices. The composition was created in real time by capturing the sound of each instrument, processing it, and layering it with other sound elements as the performance unfolded.
Visual Symbolism
The visuals give form to ideas and emotions that sound alone cannot fully convey. Custom-crafted ISF shaders use light, movement, and abstract imagery to symbolize memory, absence, and loss. Paired with the music, they offer an artistic interpretation of the events, inviting viewers to discover their own connections and meaning.
Audio Visual Performance on September 7th, 2025 by monomelist.
(unedited live performance of 1 hour 21 minutes)