Debate on October 3, 2012 is a work for two guitars, speakers, and video. The work processes Obama and Romney’s voices through two separate guitars, via speaker elements placed against the neck. In related systems of intonation, Romney and Obama’s voices are obscured by rich tones emanating from the guitar with the natural cadence of their voice. There is no processing in the system: a simple guitar through a cable to a buzzy amplifier. Jim Lehrer gets a speaker so a listener can keep tabs on what the two candidates are talking about.

This work was created by generous support from wild Up, and premiered at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA on October 13, 2012.

Installation view: