Roxanne Nesbitt: Moon Bells

Moon Bells is part installation part improvised performance featuring suspended ceramic bells made by interdisciplinary designer/composer, Roxanne Nesbitt. These instruments are inspired by the mythology and cyclically evolving shape of the moon. This performance features Roxanne Nesbitt with ceramics and voice, Parmela Attariwala on viola and Juno award-winning drummer Ben Brown on suspended bells.

Moon Bells offers the audience an intimate view into the exciting world of experimental instrument design. The ceramic bells were made by Nesbitt at the European Keramic Work Centre in Oisterwijk, Netherlands. Like many of Roxanne’s instrument design projects, these pieces were made through a combination of intuitive exploration and ancient mathematical formulas. The ceramic bells structure both the performance space and the improvised sound palette. These freshly-crafted hybrid instruments inspire new ways of making and experiencing sound, celebrating the creative possibilities of the interdisciplinary concert.

Trained as an architect and orchestral contrabassist, Roxanne Nesbitt is an interdisciplinary artist, exploring the space between sound and design. Her research includes contemporary classical composition, experimental instrument design, electroacoustic music, improvisation, sound installation and performance. Roxanne is also an active set designer for film.

Roxanne has been actively sharing the musical instruments she designs with improvising musicians and in compositions since 2016. Primarily, Roxanne makes musical instruments from clay. Roxanne has studied ceramics with Sasha Wardell (UK), Addy Bloem (NL), and Nathalee Paolinelli (CND) in order to develop her musical instruments.

Roxanne collaborates with musicians, dancers and choreographers as a performer and composer. She has premiered new compositions at Gadeaumus Music Week, PUSH festival in Vancouver, Array Space in Toronto. Roxanne has made soundtracks for choreographers Ziyian Kwan, Jeanette Kotowich and Zahra Shahab.

Roxanne is from the Indo-Caribbean diaspora. She currently makes her home on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (Vancouver, CA).