Performed by Burkely Ravenhorst

The Elephant’s Foot is a large mass of corium, what is essentially radioactive lava, found deep within Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine. At the time of its discovery in late 1986, the Elephant’s Foot was so radioactive that spending only 5 minutes next to it was enough time to provide a lethal dose of radiation. Elephant’s Foot explores the effects of radiation on the human body by blending the Ukrainian folk song “Ой, у вишневому саду”(Oh, In the Cherry Orchard) with improvisation and horrific and distorted noises only achievable through effects to create a cacophony of sound. This piece was written for my dear friend Burkely Ravenhorst, as I wanted to create a piece perfectly suited for their skills and available tools.

Elephant's Foot (Premiere)

Joshua Sheldon