TEDTalks: Music Revolution Season 1 Episode 22 Ryan Holladay: To Hear This Music You Have to Be There. Literally

Ryan Holladay is a contemporary composer and musician who believes that listening to music is an immersive experience that is best achieved in spaces specifically designed for that purpose. In this episode, Holladay presents his innovative approach to music creation and performance, which involves creating unique physical environments that are designed to enhance the listeners' sensory experience of the music.

Holladay begins his talk by discussing the limitations of traditional concert venues, which he believes are too sterile and uninspired to properly showcase the full potential of music. He argues that music is not simply a sonic experience, but a multisensory one that involves the entire body. By designing unique physical spaces that are tailored to specific musical compositions, Holladay aims to create a more immersive and transcendent experience for the listener.

To demonstrate his approach, Holladay presents several examples of his work, including a piece titled "The National Mall," which was created specifically for the outdoor public space in Washington, D.C. In this piece, Holladay used a combination of sound and site-specific installations to create a unique audio-visual experience that was both harmonious with the surroundings and transformative in its own right.

Holladay also discusses his work with virtual reality technology, which he sees as an opportunity to create even more immersive and interactive musical experiences. He presents a VR platform he created called "Yukon Dreams," which allows users to explore a virtual landscape while being accompanied by a dynamic, ever-changing musical score.

Throughout his talk, Holladay emphasizes the importance of embracing the full sensory potential of music and creating physical spaces that are specifically designed to enhance that experience. He believes that by breaking out of the constraints of traditional concert venues and exploring new modes of composition and performance, we can unlock the full transformative power of music.

Overall, Ryan Holladay's talk is a thought-provoking exploration of the potential for music to be an immersive and transformative experience. By presenting his innovative approach to music creation and performance, he challenges us to think outside the box and explore new ways of engaging with the arts.