‘WHAT IS A HEART’ FILM OF CHRISTOPHER JANNEY’S PERFORMANCE PIECE SCREENED; LIVE OPENING SET BY THE PERSUASIONS

An evening of powerful, insightful entertainment by
artist/architect/composer Christopher Janney,. “What Is A Heart,” is the film
of his signature performance piece “HeartBeat.” The film features Janney, The
Persuasions, Emily Coates, Sara Rudner, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Freddy Janney.
The event opens with a live set by The Persuasions (the “Kings of a capella”).

Janney is known for his work
over the last 30 years on the interrelation of art, architecture and music. The
documentary explores his work with the heart, as well as making architecture
more like music and music more like architecture.

In “HeartBeat” Janney placed a wireless heart telemetry device on former
NYC Ballet dancer Emily Coates and scored live music to play to her amplified
heart as it beats. Janney then scored different musicians to play over this
unusual percussion track, all in “real time.” In the newest version with
Coates, the score is performed by Janney, The Persuasions and others. The piece has met wide and international acclaim,
notably toured by Baryshnikov and Twyla Tharp Dance’s Sara Rudner.

In the work,” Emily dancing to the music creates
the experience of being inside the building--the architecture--because the
audience is immersed in her heartbeat,” says Janney.