DT
Sonic Intermedia
ist eine Konzertreihe initiert von den KomponistInnen und
MedienkünstlerInnen Andreas
Weixler und Se-Lien
Chuang mit dem künstlerischen Leiter des
AEC Gerfried Stocker
um zeitgenössischer intermedialer Computermusik ein
Präsentationsformat in Linz zu geben, das Einblick gibt in
die Arbeit von hochkarätigen KomponistInnen, ForscherInnen,
MedienkünstlerInnen und MusikerInnen. Die Gäste bei
SonicIntermedia 2012 sind BEAST - Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound
Theatre, der performative Flügel der Electroacoustic Music
Studios an der University of Birmingham. Jonty Harrison, Prix
ars electronica Preisträger 1997, lässt gemeinsam mit Scott
Wilson, Chris Tarren, Matteo Malavasi und Tim Moyers
ein spannendes Konzert experimenteller Computermusik und
intermedialer Komposition erwarten.
(Andreas
Weixler)
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EN
The Electroacoustic Music Studios at the University of Birmingham
were established
in 1978 and have been directed by Jonty Harrison since 1980. Many leading UK and international composers have worked there, either as visitors or as postgraduate students, and some 70 prizewinning works produced there. BEAST (Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre), founded by Jonty Harrison in 1982, is the performing wing of the Studios; it has performed all over the UK and in many parts of mainland Europe, including MultiMediale II (Karlsruhe),
The Royal Dutch Conservatory (The Hague), The
Acousmatic Experience (Amsterdam),
Aspekte (Salzburg),
Inventionen (Berlin; twice), Echt-Zeit (Basel), Aix
en Musique (Aix en Provence) Sound
Around Festival (Copenhagen).
Rethinking the BEAST
This talk will outline some recent developments in
multichannel composition at the Electroacoustic Music
Studios at the University of Birmingham and its
performance wing, BEAST (Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound
Theatre). In addition to a historical overview, the
discussion will cover software and techniques developed
and adapted for use with BEAST, new and pragmatic
approaches to composing for large-scale multichannel
systems, such as n-channel composition and composing in
‘stems’, and issues arising from a resulting blurring
between composition and performance practices.
(Jonty Harrison)
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Programm
Sonic Intermedia BEAST -
intermediales Konzert
im DeepSpace des
Ars Electronica Centers, Linz 29.10.2012, 19.30 Uhr
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BEASTory
Jonty Harrison
Jade f.o.o.t
video, electroacoustic composition and sound diffusion
Andreas Weixler / Se-Lien Chuang
False Awakening
electroacoustic composition in 5.1
Chris Tarren
Polystyrene
video
Tim Moyers
Böse
n-channel electroacoustic work
Scott Wilson
Disgregation
of the body (dream)
a digital
audiovisual composition
Matteo Malavasi
Momentum BEAST
audiovisual interactive performance, DeepSpace projection
Andreas Weixler & Se-Lien Chuang in cooperation with
BEER
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BEAST
BEAST
(Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre) is the
concert sound system of the University of Birmingham’s
Electroacoustic Music Studios. It was founded by Studio
Director Jonty Harrison in 1982 to showcase
electroacoustic music produced in the Studios and around
the world. In the past 25 years, over 50 postgraduate
composers based in the Birmingham Studios have been
members of BEAST. As well as winning international
competitions and receiving performances, broadcasts and
commissions, many of these composers have gone on to
teach in universities all over the world. In 2002, BEAST
became part of the newly formed Centre for Composition
and Associated Studies (COMPASS) in the Department of
Music at the University of Birmingham and has, for many
years, enjoyed a close working relationship with the
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group.
BEAST has performed extensively in the UK and other
parts of Europe, including at London’s South Bank Centre (often as part of Sonic
Arts Network
promotions), the Edinburgh and Huddersfield Festivals, the Henry
Wood Hall in Glasgow, the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham, MultiMediale II in Karlsruhe, The Royal
Dutch Conservatory in The Hague, The Acousmatic Experience in Amsterdam, the Aspekte Festival in Salzburg, the Inventionen Festival in Berlin (twice), the Echt-Zeit Festival in Basel,
Aix en Musique in Aix en Provence and the Sound Around Festival in Copenhagen. It received very high acclaim as the concert sound
system at the 1990 International Computer Music
Conference in Glasgow and was an important contributor to both Sounds Like Birmingham – UK City of Music 1992, and Birmingham’s Towards the Millennium Festival during the 1990s. BEAST’s own promotions in its home town have included ten years of the Barber Festival of Contemporary Music,
several years
of rumours… and related
events at the Midlands Arts Centre, murmurs… at the Crescent Theatre
and, for the past few years, it has been a regular
part of The Series at the CBSO Centre.
The BEAST
diffusion system uses multiple channels of loudspeakers,
whose differing characteristics make them appropriate
for a particular position or function. The system
includes arrays of tweeters (high frequency speakers
which can be suspended over the audience), sub-woofers
(low frequency speakers) and full-range speakers of
varying characteristics. The performer is able to create
a variety of sound images, and to 'sculpt' the spatial,
dynamic and dramatic implications of the music in a
particular performance environment in order to interpret
and realise the composer's intentions. Thanks to
investment in new equipment, following a major award
under the SRIF-2 (Science Research Investment Fund)
scheme, BEAST is able to install systems of around 100
loudspeakers and, since the arrival in the Department of
Dr Scott Wilson, who led a research project funded by
the Arts and Humanities Research Council, has been
engaged in ongoing research into the development of new
hardware controllers and software
interfaces/environments for the performance of
acousmatic and electroacoustic music.
For almost
thirty years, BEAST has been committed to performing
acousmatic and electroacoustic music to the highest
possible standards. The composers associated with the
system display a variety of styles and aesthetics, but
are united by a desire to explore the unique creative
potential of the electroacoustic medium.
For more information on BEAST and the Electroacoustic Music
Studios, please
visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/BEAST/index.aspx
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BEASTory (2010) 8:10 Jonty Harrison
– to
Scott Wilson
Based on the sounds of the BEAST system when it is not actually performing (i.e. when it is being stored, transported, set up or taken down), this short piece is an initial attempt to explore the fuzzy boundary between composition and performance made available by a large loudspeaker system (BEAST), controlled by flexible and sophisticated software (BEASTmulch – largely written by my colleague and friend, Scott Wilson). The recordings were made on BEAST gigs and, with the assistance of Julien Guillamat, in the ‘BEAST store’ (hence the awful title – sorry!).
BEASTory
(2010) by Jonty Harrison (PRS) is reproduced on DVD by
courtesy of empreintes DIGITALes, Montréal.
BEAST
University of Birmingham
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Jonty Harrison
born 1952, studied with Bernard Rands, David Blake and Elisabeth Lutyens at the University of York, UK, gaining his DPhil in Composition in 1980 and discovering the electroacoustic music studio along the way. Between 1976 and 1980 he lived in London, preparing electroacoustic material for a number of productions at the National Theatre and teaching studio techniques at City University. In 1980 he joined the Music Department of the University of Birmingham, where he is now Professor of Composition and Electroacoustic Music and Director of the Electroacoustic Music Studios and BEAST (Birmingham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre). Over the past 30 years he has taught a number of graduate composers from the UK and overseas, many of whom are now themselves leading figures in the composition and teaching of electroacoustic music around the world. He has made several conducting appearances with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (most notably performing Stockhausen's Momente), the University New Music Ensemble and the University Orchestra. He was a Board member of Sonic Arts Network for many years.
As a
composer he has won several awards (Bourges
International Electroacoustic Awards; Prix Ars
Electronica, Linz; Musica Nova, Prague; the Lloyds
Bank National Composers' Award; the PRS Prize; an
Arts Council Composition Bursary; a Leverhulme
Research Grant and AHRB/AHRC Research Grants), and
received commissions from leading institutions and
performers (Ina-GRM; GMEB, Bourges; the
International Computer Music Association;
MAFILM/Magyar Rádió; Electroacoustic
Wales/University of Bangor, IRCAM/Ensemble
InterContemporain; BBC; Sonorities Festival,
Belfast; Birmingham Contemporary Music Group; Fine
Arts Brass Ensemble; Singcircle; Thürmchen
Ensemble; John Harle; Harry Sparnaay; and Jos
Zwaanenburg).
His music is performed and broadcast worldwide, and several works are available on two 'solo' CDs (Articles indéfinis and Évidence matérielle) and a DVD-Audio (Environs) on the empreintes DIGITALes label (Montréal), and on compilation CDs from NMC (London), Mnémosyne Musique Média (Bourges, France), CDCM/Centaur (San Francisco), Asphodel (New York), EMF (New York) and Collins (London).
http://www.electrocd.com/en/bio/harrison_jo/
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Jade f.o.o.t (1996/2012)
video, electroacoustic composition and sound diffusion
Andreas Weixler / Se-Lien Chuang
duration 5:40
Jade f.o.o.t - for orchestra on tape, is an electroacoustic
piece created by Andreas Weixler at Birmingham
University Studios and UEA Studios during a joint artists
residency in 1996.
The Video to Jade f.o.o.t. was created 2012 by Se-Lien
Chuang at Atelier Avant Austria especially for the
DeepSpace.
Foto © Se-Lien Chuang
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Chris
Tarren studied as an
undergraduate at Birmingham, and is now continuing his
studies in composition with Jonty Harrison. Primarily
an electroacoustic composer, many of his works
experiment with the synthesis of abstract and more
recognisable material, seeking to shape the listener’s
musical experience through varying levels of focus and
perception. Chris frequently performs with BEAST and
his works have been played in the UK and abroad.
www.chris-tarren.co.uk
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False Awakening (2012) Chris Tarren
electroacoustic composition in 5.1
duration: 15 min
As the listener descends into sleep, they become more lucid
as the environment around them comes into focus.
Periodically our descent is broken by a jolt back into a
seeming reality, only to find that where we have actually
arrived is another dream – a false awakening into a
distorted reality, with an unsettling undercurrent which
takes us deeper into the subconscious...
False Awakening is in many ways a trip down memory lane,
exploring sounds and environments which conjure up fond
memories of childhood experiences. Recent trips to parts of
North Yorkshire have renewed my appreciation for the natural
beauty of these places, whilst also filling me with a sense
of apprehension, that with the ever increasing rate of
inflation and need for space their beauty will not remain
untouched for long. Much of the sound material revolves
around recordings made in the North Yorkshire Moors and
those made at a steel yard in Thirsk, and the listener is
pulled between these two sound-worlds in a disturbing
reverie, where vast, untouched landscape are encroached upon
by the sounds of modern life.
Chris Tarren studied as an undergraduate at Birmingham, and
is now continuing his studies in composition with Jonty
Harrison. Primarily an electroacoustic composer, many of his
works experiment with the synthesis of abstract and more
recognisable material, seeking to shape the listener’s
musical experience through varying levels of focus and
perception. Chris frequently performs with BEAST and his
works have been played in the UK and abroad. |
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Polystyrene - Tim Moyers
video
10 mins 50 sec
Tim Moyers
Tim is currently perusing his PhD in composition at the
University of Birmingham. He received his MM in
Computer Music and New Media Technology from Northern
Illinois University. He also received a BA in Jazz
performance as well as a BA in Philosophy from North Central
College.
© Tim Moyers
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Böse (2010) - Scott Wilson
n-channel electroacoustic work
9 mins 1 second
This work makes use of recordings of a number of pianos,
including two extended range Bösendorfers, one in the UK,
one in Montreal, as well as a disintegrating Blüthner of
somewhat questionable provenance. It uses a number of
specialised techniques for 'n-channel' composition and large
scale multichannel spatialisation. Böse was premiered at the
2010 Inventionen Festival in Berlin.
Scott Wilson
Born Vancouver, Canada; lived Middletown, Connecticut,
Karlsruhe, Toronto, brief stints elsewhere. Studies (one
form or another) with Barry Truax, Christos Hatzis, Gary
Kulesha, Ron Kuivila, Wolfgang Rihm, David Gordon Duke, Owen
Underhill, and others. Works for orchestra,
electroacoustics, chamber, installations, multimedia,
interactive, inter-inactive, usw. Performances in Canada,
the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Ireland, France, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, including
Huddersfield Festival, Trash Festival, Esprit Orchestra's
Next Wave Festival, Open Ears, Canada's National Arts
Centre, and other august settings. Recent projects with
Darragh Morgan, rarescale, Xenia Pestova. Recordings with
326music and Continuum Contemporary Music. Lives now in
Birmingham, UK (teaching at the University, working with
BEAST) where life, generally speaking, is good.
Photo Veronika von Volkova
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Disgregation of
the body (dream)
A digital
audiovisual composition (2010/2011)
Matteo Malavasi
Video format: synchronized multi-projection installation.
Audio format: multi-channel concrete sounds
Performing version: single screen video reduction, stereo
audiotrack reduction
Length: 11'21"
The awareness of getting free from a body which has been
disgregating slowly over time. The comprehension of
objective essence which is only possible with the clear and
full understanding of nature. Something which is always
deceived by simple needs of an uncomfortable body and mainly
by insane ambitions of human beings. I've been waiting for a
dream or, perhaps I've been working in order to move slowly
towards my dream, where my own essence rises without
compromises.
I'm looking for a parallel abstract world where thoughts are
subjects and essence is the environment where those thoughts
live.
A dream of landscapes transformed into ideas; a long process
of disgregation which dissolves the landscape, conserving it
only as perception. |
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Matteo Malavasi
I am an artist who is exploring different
areas of expression because I feel
the necessity to express my ideas through different kinds
of ‘media’. I believe that nowadays, with new
technologies, we are able to create multimedia projects
which explore different languages with a common focus.
There isn’t a restriction of subject or development, so we
have the responsibility for choice of a technical language
to create works which are very close to the original
ideas. Experience and attention to detail is very
important for the result.
I collaborated
with some important centres of Production and music
research for the realization of
some multimedia projects, I also
received commissions from
important cultural associations, ensembles and orchestras.
I collaborated with international
soloists, ensembles and orchestras like Diego Masson, Miroslaw Jacek Blaszezyk, Renato Rivolta,
Sandro Gorli, Marco Angius, Barrie
Webb, Guido Boselli, Sébastien Schiesser,
Mdi Ensemble, Divertimento Ensemble, Ensemble of National Symphonic Orchestra of Rai, Milano Classica Orchestra, BCMG in Birmingham.
My music was
performed during some festivals like XIV CIM festival in Florence, Rai Nuova
Musica festival (Turin), CreaMi
festival (Milan), Elettrosensi Festival, at Huddersfield
University, in Zurig during the
Generator #8 – Labor für
elektroakustische Musik und Neue Medien, at REC Festival
of Reggio Emilia, at URTIcanti contemporary music Festival
of Bari, in US at Crowden School in San Francisco, at
Festival ‘Musica in Etruria’, Antidogma Festival, at BEAST
in Birmingham.
I attended
masterclasses, meetings and
lessons with Helmut Lachenmann,
Jonathan Harvey, Hugues Dufourt, Giovanni Verrando, Marco
Stroppa, Toshio
Hosokawa and others.
My compositions
are produced by the composer.
web: www.matteomalavasi.com
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Momentum BEAST
(2012)
audiovisual interactive performance
Andreas Weixler & Se-Lien Chuang
in cooperation with BEER
7 channels, DeepSpace projection
duration: 12 min
 
Momentum
UEA
Momentum SARC
all-star performer:
Jonty Harrison,
sample triggering
Scott Wilson, live
coding
Chris Tarren, laptop
improvisation
Tim Moyers, live coding
Andreas Weixler,
multichannel audio realtime processing
Se-Lien Chuang, interactive visuals, bass recorder
VIDEO DOCU
MOMENTUM BEAST
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BEER
The Birmingham Ensemble for Electroacoustic Research (BEER)
was founded in 2011 as a research project to explore aspects
of realtime electroacoustic music making. Particular
interests include networked music performance and live
coding. In keeping with post-free jazz developments in
improvisation (e.g. Zorn, Braxton), we create structures and
intervention mechanisms that impose limitations and formal
articulations on the musical flow (taking advantage of
networked computer systems as the intervention mechanism par
excellence). Musical influences run the gamut from Xenakis
to Journey.
http://soundcloud.com/beer-ensemble
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Andreas Weixler
geboren 1963 in Graz, ist zeitgenössischer Komponist
mit einer Spezialisierung in Computermusik.
Er studierte Komposition an der
Musikhochschule/Kunstuniversität Graz bei Andrej
Dobrowolski, Younghi Pagh-Paan und diplomierte bei Beat
Furrer.
Seine vielbeachteten Konzepte führten zu einer regen
Konzerttätigkeit in Europa, Asien, Nord- und Südamerika,
Einladungen zu internationalen Symposien sowie
internationaler Lehr- und Forschungstätigkeit in Österreich,
Deutschland, England, Nordirland, USA, Kanada, Japan,
Singapur, Süd-Korea und Taiwan. 2011 habilitert Andreas
Weixler im Fach elektroakustische Komposition/Computermusik
zum Ao.Univ. Prof. an der an der
Anton-Bruckner-Privatuniversität in Linz, wo er
seit 1997 an der Abteilung für Komposition und am
Institut für Jazz und Improvisierte Musik unterrichtet, seit
2004 ist er auch Lektor bei InterfaceCulture an der
Kunstuniversität Linz für audiovisuelle interaktive
Projekte.
Derzeit spezialisierte Andreas Weixler sich in interaktive
und multimediale Konzerte zeitgenössischer Musik.
http://avant.mur.at
Se-Lien Chuang
composer, pianist and media artist, 1965 born in Taiwan,
since 1991 residence in Austria.
The artistic and compositional emphases range from
contemporary instrumental composition/improvisation,
computer music to audiovisual interactivity.
Studies in composition (Beat Furrer), music and media
technology (Karlheinz Essl), piano/recorder,
electro-acoustic music in Austria.
International productions, research stays and lectures as
well as numerous representations of compositions in Europe,
Asia, North- and South America: Salzburger Festspiele, ICMC
Huddersfield/NYC/Belfast/Copenhagen, SICMF Seoul, NIME New
York, ISEA Singapore/Nagoya, IAMAS Japan, Ars Electronica
Linz, SONORITIES Festival Belfast, Electronic Music
Festival Basel, Ultraschall Festival für Neue Musik Berlin,
Wien Modern, Sumida Triphony Hall Tokio, National Theater
Concert Hall Taipeh, Computermusik Festival Montreal,
European Electroacoustic Music Brussels, NICE Amsterdam,
SIBGRAPI Video Festival Gramado-RS, among others.
Since 1996 jointly with Andreas Weixler running Atelier
Avant Austria, of which the key aspects are in the
developments of audiovisual interactive systems and
audio/visual realtime/non-realtime processing, computer
music and algorithmic composition.
http://avant.mur.at/chuang
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Initiative:
Andreas Weixler & Se-Lien Chuang
 
 
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weitere Termine im
Anschluss:
 30.10.2012 20:00
Konzert von Jonty Harrison und Scott Wilson
Open CUBE
Kunstuniversität Graz/IEM
Inffeldgasse 10
8010 Graz
http://iem.kug.ac.at
31.10.2012 11:45-13:15
Gastseminar von Jonty Harrison und Scott Wilson
Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien
ELAK/Seminarsaal 3. Stock
Rienößlgasse 12
1040 Wien
http://www.elakwien.at
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links: Sonic
Intermedia
BEAST
University of Birmingham
YouTube
invited
lecture series
Atelier Avant Austria
Initiative:
Ao.Univ. Prof. Andreas Weixler (ABPU)
Mag.a. Se-Lien Chuang (Atelier Avant Austria)
Gerfried Stocker (AEC)
DeepSpace Koordination:
Maria Seidl (AEC)
Tontechnik:
Martin Edtmayr (Fa. Hannes Zauner, Veranstaltungstechnik
GmbH, Wels)
Veranstaltungsbüro:
Angelika Grabner (ABPU)
AEC Technik:
Florian Wanninger (AEC)
EDV:
Jörg Lehner (ABPU)
Doku:
Studierende des CMS - Computer Music Studios (ABPU)
Daniel Rikker (ab 9.30), Emily Stewart, Stefan Bleier,
Zanjirani Farahani Hassan (ab 18.30),
DorfTV: Ufuk Serbesta, Gabi Kepplinger
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