Introducing betterArts Resident Forbes Graham

Forbes Graham is a trumpet player, electronic musician, and composer based in the Boston area. He grew up in Silver Springs, MD, studying and performing jazz, classical, and concert band music. As a teenager he discovered heavy metal and hardcore punk, genres which influence his pursuit of extreme sound to this day. His music is also influenced by numerology, poetry, cinema, marching bands, and the 1980s in general. He has performed at Festival of New Trumpet, Vision Festival, and High Zero, among others.

He also runs Blaq Lghtn, an organization that brings valuable music and art to appreciative audiences. Blaq Lghtn has brought Cooper-Moore, Sabir Mateen, Peter Evans, Stephen Haynes, Shayna Dulberger, and more to the Boston area to perform. The organization also produces CDs, with upcoming releases featuring Jim Hobbs, Laurence Cook, and other visionary musicians and sound artists.

For his time at Better Farm, this betterArts resident will be composing music inspired by Magic Hypercubes:

In the past I have composed music inspired by magic squares. Magic squares are of size n in which the sum total of n elements along a row, column, or diagonal add up to the same number. Magic squares have a long history in recreational mathematics. I have composed a number of quartets based on the Lo Shu and Chautisa Yantra magic squares. What I have recently become interested in are magic hypercubes. Magic hypercubes are of size n such that the sum total of n elements along any axis equal the same number. I have begun to explore a five dimensional magic hypercube. I will be participating in the betterArts residency program at Better Farm in Redwood, NY from June 5-12. During this time I will be composing a trio for piccolo trumpet/trumpet, clarinet, and cello.

 Stay tuned for updates on Forbes' progress! We're thrilled to have him on board.

For more information about the betterArts residency program, click here.