The Idle Class Quarantine Creative series features local creators and their spread of good fortune and creativity in a time of quarantine. What exactly are these artists doing to lift the spirits of our community while practicing social distancing? We’re here to find out. Next in the series: local musician Amos Cochran. 

Amos Cochran, Emmy-nominated composer, musician and sound artist, has created compositions for film, theater, radio and television. A few of his accolades include a 2010 Kennedy Center Excellence in Composing Award and a premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. 

His Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art outdoor exhibition, Color Field, is remembered as groundbreaking, and he was chosen as an official artist for the award-winning Unexpected art festival in Fort Smith. Most of Cochran’s 2020 has been spent recording a new album, Niente, out in April. Check out the most recent live performance at Sol Studios below.

As artists find ways to be creative while social distancing, Cochran shared what he is doing to spread light and creativity in a time of seeming darkness with  The Idle Class.

What have you been doing creatively during the “self distancing” period?

My normal day-to-day has really not changed all that much. Most of my work time is spent at home, so I have been very fortunate that my schedule has not been that interrupted. I have a new album coming out in April and I have spent a little more time on promotional content for that. Making some videos and such. I have a few more Facebook Live streams playing piano a bit more than I normally would. 

Why are you doing it?

Most of what I have spent my time doing is normal work things. I have a few scoring projects and an orchestral commission that I am starting to work on.  When I do the Facebook Live videos I always have a very good response from folks saying that listening really helps them relax a little more. As artists anytime we can offer a positive experience for folks, it is a good thing. I am glad we are where we are with technology and can do little house concerts from our pianos or coffee tables.

Why is staying active in your art and finding new ways to express it important at a time like this? 

This is a massive opportunity to learn new ways to share our work. How can we take this experience and find a way to present things in a new way. This is a time of adapting and pivoting. I had originally planned to expand the different things I have going outside of Arkansas, but traveling is out of the question right now, so it could be that this year will see me releasing more material on the digital streaming services.

 

Photo by Andrew Camarillo.