Public Drum Project emerged as the practical/creative component of a doctoral research project. 

This study explored designs for musical composition that enable participation and collaboration.

 

The conceptual ideas underlying the installation work are:

 

1. The level of involvement in music is central to the experience of it, and greater engagement offers the potential for a deeper and more satisfying experience.

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2. Diverse contributions enrich the creative process and enable innovation.

 

The research examined alternatives to the tripartite Western art music model, which customarily separates composers, performers and listeners, and focused on enabling collective and inclusive music-making. 

This involved theoretical research grounded in concepts drawn primarily from the philosophies and practices of experimental composer John Cage, post-structuralist luminaries Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, and visionary designer R. Buckminster Fuller.

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Public Drum Project  has evolved into a trans-disciplinary adventure that explores the potential for new styles of musical composition to function as exemplars for participation and social collaboration in other arenas.