PrintWorks: Making Music

The tools we use shape us, and the things we create.

is a multi-century, multi-sensory interactive event combining an art installation, printmaking workshop and live musical performance. The event debuts at The Museum of Printing (Haverill, MA) on Saturday, August 20th, with two additional performances at The Substation in Boston's Roslindale neighborhood on Sunday, August 21. During the 180-minute event attendees explore an interactive installation by visual artist Alex Jaehyun Kim featuring tools and materials from historic printing and music-making processes, try out simple printmaking techniques using common tools in a hands-on workshop, and watch their work become part of the art installation. The event concludes with a 50-minute, multi-media musical performance by The Halfmoon. The program features 17th century works, instruments and printing processes and a specially-commissioned electroacoustic work by Audrey Wu.

PrintWorks: Making Music is inspired by messy, beautiful, confusing, enlightening and always fascinating printed historical musical scores, and the tools and methods used to create and bring them to life. The event is a collaboration between printers, composers, musicians, videographers and artists on three continents. PrintWorks is a production of The Halfmoon, led by violinist and artistic director Emily Hale. The event began its life as a multi-media virtual concert in 2021, featured as part of the Boston Society for Historically-Informed Performance’s (SoHIP) summer series.

The Halfmoon produces collaborative, creative, concert experiences and events featuring historically-informed and inspired performances. The musical ensemble joins forces with an array of partners, from historic houses and museums to engravers and entomologists. Halfmoon events spark curiosity about, awareness and enjoyment of the past and the world around us.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Substation, 4228 Washington Street, Boston, United States