'Pulse & Pixels' brings music, technology and visual design together in innovative collaboration

A new interdisciplinary performance this spring will bring together music, technology and digital art in a concert experience led by Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance (SMTD).

“Pulse & Pixels,” presented by the Oakland Artists Collective (OAC), will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 8 at the Pontiac Little Art Theatre in Pontiac, Mich. The event pairs electroacoustic music performed by SMTD faculty and students with digital visual design created by students in the Department of Art, Art History and Design.

Directed by Justin Lamb, visiting assistant professor of music in SMTD, the concert is the inaugural project of the Oakland Artists Collective (OAC), supported by an OU Cultural Ambassador Faculty Grant (CAF Grant).

Oakland Artists Collective

“The idea behind the Oakland Artists Collective is bringing different disciplines together and exploring new performance spaces,” Lamb said. “It’s about creating opportunities for students to collaborate across fields.”

For “Pulse & Pixels,” electroacoustic music, blending acoustic instruments with electronic sound, is paired with custom digital projections, creating an immersive experience for audiences.

“When you combine music with visual projections, it becomes a much more immersive sensory experience,” Lamb said.

Amanda Ross, an SMTD faculty member, said the collaboration can fundamentally reshape how audiences interpret the work.

“When art forms combine, they can completely change the meaning of a piece,” Ross said. “It creates possibilities that wouldn’t exist otherwise.”

Visuals for the performance are designed by Assistant Professor Jonathan Cooper in collaboration with Ava Guest and August Wicker, who developed projections in response to the music.

“I think one of the most surprising things has been how experimental the music is,” Guest said. “Instead of portraying something literal, I’m creating visuals based on how the music feels.”

The program features works performed by Amanda Ross, Justin Lamb, Josh Tomlinson, Alex Sellers and Ben MacDonald, alongside student collaborators Brandon Lemke, Nate Iott and Donovan Marlin.

Students involved in the project represent multiple disciplines, contributing both artistically and behind the scenes.

“This is unlike anything I’ve worked on before,” Wicker said. “We’re working more as a team of equals rather than in a traditional professor-student dynamic.”

The project also mirrors professional creative environments, where artists often collaborate across disciplines with limited rehearsal time.

“When another artistic mind is added, it changes the piece into something new,” Ross said. “That’s a really exciting place to be creatively.”

By presenting the performance at the Pontiac Little Art Theatre, the Oakland Artists Collective (OAC) expands Oakland University’s presence in the community and connects students with new audiences.

“Having visual and music presented together is an engaging experience on multiple levels,” Ross said. “It’s a unique and enriching experience for audiences.”

Future projects may include collaborations across additional disciplines such as dance and film.

“This is just the beginning,” Lamb said. “The long-term vision is to create a flexible platform for new types of performances.”

The performance will run approximately one hour and feature digital projections integrated with live music. Snacks and beverages will be available for purchase.

Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to reserve a $0 ticket via eTix to guarantee entry. For more information, visit https://calendar.oakland.edu/smtd/event/21596-pulse-pixels-presented-by-oakland-arts.