Resonant Bodies & Sonic Avatars

In our daily lives our sonic environments consist of a constant combination of acoustic sounds and electronic sounds. This research aims to facilitate an inclusive listening and sounding in performance that similarly combines and centers both acoustic and electronic sound in a common space. 

In 2021-2022 my research at Studio Loos involved the design and implementation of a gesturally controlled interactive interface for realtime vocal processing of my unamplified operatic voice, using wireless midi rings to control a MAX patch that manipulated my sampled disembodied voice(s). In my research in 2023, I move from a solo practice to an ensemble practice. I will explore working with this interface in collaboration with two virtuoso instrumental performer-composers who also use live processing to augment their acoustic signals, and who also do not require amplification of their acoustic instruments: violinist Leslee Smucker and reed player Peter van Bergen.

The challenges of moving from a solo practice to an ensemble practice requires time and space to perform together, and time to investigate a deep concentration on the interactions of our embodied acoustic sounds with our disembodied processed signals in a common acoustic environment.  We will explore the musical challenges of working within a trio consisting of 3 monophonic acoustic instruments, each of which will be processed with a different audio processing interface.  We will investigate what kind of multi-channel loudspeaker set up will be most effective  for combining our unamplified embodied sounds (the resonant bodies of our voices and instruments) with our disembodied sounds (the live processing of our sonic avatars).

The residency consists of three intensive days of exploratory sessions at Studio Loos, and a public concert followed by an open discussion at Studio Loos.