Portal of Prayer investigated the sonic properties of prayer in the first completely audio-based work commissioned by ICA/Vita Brevis. It was a transporting blend of prayer and sacred music culled from many traditions. Band visited and worked with several Boston area places of worship and individuals in order to gather a broad range of recorded material for the project. Portal of Prayer explored the meditative power of the sound of prayer, how it affects our wellbeing, and how it alters our experiences of public places.
Active nationally and internationally since the 1970s, Ellen Band creates sound-based works of art and music for traditional performance settings, recording, and as sculptural installation. Her work incorporates the infinitely complex textures, rhythms, and colors of the ordinary and not so ordinary sounds of life.