Jordan Plotner

BACKGROUND

On April 12, 2015 the membrane surrounding my spine and brain spontaneously ruptured, causing cerebrospinal fluid to leak, and my brainstem to compress against my skull. The neurological and cognitive impairment was severe and unending, with neither diagnosis nor treatment in sight. I was a medical mystery and a bed-ridden college sophomore at the very beginning of what would become my medical odyssey.

Over the next four years I saw nearly sixty different doctors, made five visits to the emergency room, and was prescribed over thirty different medications. I was eventually diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects all the connective tissue in my body, weakens my joints, and wreaks havoc on my central nervous system. Having a chronic illness/hidden disability has made daily life a tightrope walk of sorts - irrational, reactive, treacherous, and all-consuming, always with the promise of great existential threat lurking just below. But it has also prompted rich adventure (and much creative inspiration).

The project

For the past five months I have been filming my daily life with the goal of creating a short documentary film about living with chronic illness. On March 26, 2019 I had surgery on my spine and skull to address the issues brought on by my initial CSF leak, and am now feeling better than I have in years. While recovering from surgery I set out to write a piece of music for the film that would not only help me process my own experiences, but also potentially help others going through something similar.

I’ve written Resonance for orchestra and choir to be recorded by those around the world living with chronic illness/disability. But I need your help! By uniting our voices in song, and giving a face (or many faces!) to pain, we can create a platform through which we can improve both public and clinical awareness of our conditions, and ultimately inspire research into new diagnostic and treatment practices.

Below, I’ve included links where you can download the music, and instructions for how to submit. There are no auditions! If you are able to sing/play an instrument, and are also living with chronic illness/disability, all you need is a way to record a short video.

resonance

Every time the piano key is pressed, or the guitar string is plucked, we do not hear just one pitch but an endless series of varying pitches whose frequencies rise towards infinity. The pitches in this series are known as harmonics, and it is the volume of each harmonic that defines the note’s character (its timbre).

In the context of a song, individual harmonics are inaudible to the untrained ear, hidden in anonymity. An illness, or disease, has a harmonic series of its own: the seemingly infinite (often invisible) ways in which the body submits and fights, changes and compensates beyond the fundamental affliction.

Resonance is the process by which a wave of sound is strengthened by the vibrations it induces in a neighboring object. Alone, a vibrating violin string makes barely a whisper. But when attached to its body, the harmonics produced by the string find their identical frequencies hidden away in the mass of hollow wood, and the air contained within. Together they vibrate and sing out. It is harmonic empowerment. 

By describing my own narrative with chronic illness I aim to reveal the harmonics - those invisible and seemingly infinite life variations spawning from a fundamental defect. Yet this alone would be the equivalent of the lonely violin string. Yes, the note is there, but we can only hear it if it resonates in the body of another. 

The piece of music I’ve written will be featured at the end of my short documentary film, sung and played by those with parallel tales of pain. Only through this collective performance can the harmonics of pain induce resonance in the bodies of others, and sing out for all the world to hear.

For your reference (so you know what you’re getting yourself into!) I’ve included a rough demo of the piece.

Recording Guidelines

1) Download the sheet music and audio reference guides (FYI there is an empty measure at the beginning of each audio reference track, and a metronome click with tempo 65bpm).

2) Practice the parts a few times until you’re ready to record. If you’re having a hard time with a phrase or two, just skip it (don’t worry!). In the few cases in which there are two parts for a specific instrument, I’ve tried to make the second one a bit easier to play. If you play an instrument not listed in the score, let me know and I will write you a part.

3) Once you’ve got the part down, find a quiet place to film/record. Use whatever device or program is easiest/most accessible (PhotoBooth, phone, tablet, camcorder etc.) If you have access to an external microphone, go for it. Position the recording device at least two feet away from your instrument, and make sure that you’re in the video frame! If you mess up a little while recording, don’t worry! Just keep the camera rolling and finish off strong. I can edit out any wrong notes.

4) Export the video (use highest quality export option), and please don’t add any additional audio or visual effects. When naming the file, please include your first and last name, and your instrument part (i.e. Resonance_Guitar_JordanPlotner).

5) Click below to upload your video to DropBox.

6) Fill out the quick form below, and then you’re all set!

Not a musician but still want to help?

Consider making a financial contribution!

(100% of funds will go directly towards production costs for The Resonance Project)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

This project is really special for me, and I’m truly grateful that you’ve taken the time to help out, and share your gifts!

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to email me at harmonicresonanceproject@gmail.com