Uno is built around the card game UNO and was originally written to be performed live and in person. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the necessity for social isolation, I rewrote the piece so that it could be performed over video conference call and without the need for any equipment other than a computer and an internet connection. The Max patch translates UNO’s set of simple rules and repurposes them to create a piece of indeterminate music that is built around the interactions between performers. Every sound in this piece is created live by the performers when they play a card or an action of another player affects them. Each player is able to play Uno online with one another while streaming their audio to create a sound space that evolves with every card played. While you listen, enjoy the game and the dialogue of sound created by the choices and actions of the performers.

This piece requires performers to use the program Max 8 which can be safely downloaded for free here: https://cycling74.com/downloads. 

Links: Max Patch

Recorded Performers for upper recording: Becky Brown, Jamie Clay, Bob DuCharme, Cameron Church, I-Jen Fang, and Nelly Zevitz

Recorded Performers for lower recording: Indigo Breza, Cameron Church, and Joshua Holtzman