Tuning the Air
Tuning the Air promotional video.
(improvised circulation: tuning the air - video realization: travis metcalf/sparkworks media)
tuning the air (2004-2011)
TUNING THE AIR was a 7-year long series of performance events presented here in Seattle, which ran from 2005-11. It was the brainchild of Frank Sheldon, who envisioned what he described as a “location-based performance team.” Groups typically hone their performance skills by going on the road and doing it over and over, and over again. Frank’s observation was that this could be addressed by essentially bringing the road to us. A series of weekly performances in a fixed location, for one year.
I can clearly hear his voice in a meeting of the Seattle Guitar Circle on February 28, 2005. “Weekly, without fail, for one year. Or don’t do it.”
In Guitar Craft we call that The Challenge.
A team of 20 members of the Seattle Guitar Circle community made the commitment. A company, very much in the sense of a theatre company.
For us, the notion of performing in a fixed location was very exciting. In addition to the opportunity for regular performance it meant that we could finally present this music the way we, the performers, experience it every day. In Guitar Craft we work in Guitar Circles. That is, we literally sit in a circle. We can all see and hear one another very clearly, so the connection and communication amongst the players has a heightened immediacy, and that is something that is tangible in the music. Additionally, the 360º aural space affords very exciting arrangement options.
That, in a nutshell, is the Tuning the Air experience. The players sit in a Circle. The audience sits inside the Circle.
In September 2011 as we were preparing for the Autumn/Winter Season, which we all understood was to be the final season for Tuning the Air, I began a personal task of documenting the project. Nothing detailed or definitive. Mostly just pulling together a timeline of performances and significant milestones, and some lists. A list the people who contributed time and effort to the project, a list of the performances and setlists, a list the repertoire that was performed, a list of the recordings that were made, plus a few historical notes of my own. I wasn’t quite sure who it was for, but it felt to me that this was something that needed to be remembered.
Curt Golden, May 2026
tuning the air history:
foreshadowing
On December 11-12, 2004, a weekend workshop took place at Seattle Circle’s studio, located on the third floor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Ballard. It was not a music-related seminar, but a number of members of the Seattle Guitar Circle were taking part.
The workshop culminated on Sunday night with a feast. From time to time during the meal, the seminar director would call for music. That was our cue. Jaxie Binder, Taylor Sherman, Travis Metcalf, Bob Williams and I would rise, leave the room, collect our guitars, briefly put together a 2 or 3 piece “setlist”. We entered the room, took our place and played. This happened 3 times during the evening.
The third time we were called upon to play, we chose for our final selection Eye of the Needle, which is also known as Guitar Craft Theme III, and is within the repertoire of anyone who has been involved with Guitar Craft for a period of time.
We entered, and performed as usual. But when it came time for Eye of the Needle, we spread out and surrounded the audience – to the extent that 5 players can “surround” a banquet table set up for 20 diners. The effect was immediate and profound. Of course, the composition has that quality and effect for anyone who can enter into it, but there was something in this presentation that seemed to bring the music alive in a very particular way. Collecting ourselves outside of the room after the performance, we had the very clear sense that something momentous had just occurred.
It had been a busy weekend, and my computer had been off as part of the seminar. My journal for that weekend, very brief and written in the wee hours of Monday morning, reflects a recognition of the significance of the moment:
I will also never forget looking up as five of us “surrounded” an audience of 15 people and saying to myself, “hey look! A Guitar Craft Circle!” It was just for a moment, but it was as real as real can be.
Writing about it nearly 7 years after the fact, I honestly cannot recall whose idea it was to present Eye of the Needle in this way; and that seems just as well. I also don’t remember whether we made the decision out in the hall before the performance, or if it was a spontaneous impulse that came up in the moment. It set in motion a line of exploration and inquiry that brought 10 players together in February of 2005 to test the viability of formal performance in this format, and on April 11, 2005, Tuning the Air was debuted.
Curt Golden, September 2011
tuning the air history:
an evening of music for large guitar ensemble
On February 21, 2005, we did a “one time only” test of the feasibility of performance in a circle, with the audience seated in the center, “Performance Number Zero”. The room we occupied at Trinity United Methodist Church in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle was set up to feel like a living room, with floor lamps for lighting, and a mountain of pillows and cushions on the floor for our audience. The audience was largely made up of friends and family. We simply billed it as “An Evening of Music for Large Guitar Ensemble”.
The team for that evening was:
Guitarists in the Circle:
Jaxie Binder
Andrew Boscardin
Chris Gibson
Curt Golden
Dean Jensen
Greg Meredith
Travis Metcalf
Taylor Sherman
Howard Snyder
Bob Williams
House Manager, Stage Manager, and literally everything else:
Frank Sheldon
Here is the setlist for Tuning the Air #0. Where it indicates “shift”, certain players would get up and move to different seats in a highly choreographed maneuver, in order to be in a better position to play particular pieces of music. This harkened back to the very first Guitar Circle performance which took place in the ballroom of the mansion at Claymont Court near Charles Town, WV, on March 30, 1985. Tuning the Air Producer Frank Sheldon had been in the audience for that performance, and was much impressed with this simple and elegant gesture, which he felt demonstrated a level of intentionality and attention to detail in every aspect of the show.
Music for Large Guitar Ensemble
February 21, 2005
Seattle, WA, USA
Circulation in C Major
Voices of Ancient Children (Curt, Travis, Chris)
Batrachomyomachy
Not My Sharona
~~~~ shift ~~~~
Where Is The Nurse?
Growing Circle
Butterfly
~~~~ shift ~~~~
Lylli in Africa (Greg Meredith)
How Many Times? (The Extended Wilsons)
Corelli Giga
~~~~ shift ~~~~
Where It Goes
One of a Thousand Regrets
Shostakovich Piano Prelude XXII in G Minor
Eye of the Needle
Asturias
49 Notes
A week later, on February 28, 2005, the SGC met to recapitulate our experience with the performance and make a decision about whether or not this was something we wished to pursue further. The consensus was a clear “YES”. We began to discuss taking what we had learned from this first show, and setting a date for a second “trial run”. At this point Frank stepped in. His message was clear; commit or don’t bother. Present the show “weekly, without fail, for one year. Or don’t do it.” We were on.
We spent the next 7 weeks preparing for a 38-week run, through the end of 2005. The performance space was prepared. The available pool of repertoire was rehearsed. The concept of the shape and form of the presentation emerged. The promotion was put into place.
But what was the name of this show we were building? Once again Frank presented us with an ultimatum: find and agree upon the right name for the production, or else it would default to “Guitar-O-Sphere”. “Tuning the Air” it was.
Curt Golden, September 2011
tuning the air history:
the 2009 promotional video
(2009 sparkworks media)
About: tuning the air - foreshadowing - show number zero - video
Who What Where When: performances - company members - repertoire
Music from Tuning the Air: intro - Volume 1 - Volume 2 - Volume 3