A Feast of Diffusion
Sound-Image-Space Research Centre, University of Kent, UK

Mezzanine, Slip 3 – The Big Space
Chatham Historic Dockyard
Kent ME4 4TE
workshops: 14, 15 and 16 May 2015, 10:00 – 11:00h by Thomas Gorbach
concerts: 14, 15 and 16 May 2015, starting at 18:00h

 

‚Acousmatic Transcendence: A Feast of Diffusion‘ is a series of events taking place in three consecutive days comprising spatial sound workshops and concerts. The events bring together two sound diffusion systems (from the University of Kent and Vienna) that amount to 65 loudspeakers.

Historic Dockyard Concert Hall / ship & submarine
Concert Hall Inside

Day 1 and 3 concerts comprise compositions submitted through a Call for Works, engaging selected composers who will perform their pieces. 104 works from 25 countries were submitted, from which 12 compositions were selected for these concerts, and 13 works have been earmarked for a follow-up event. The concerts will also feature three works by Kent University composers, as well as five selected pieces nominated by the ACP Acousmonium.

Day 2 is devoted to works by two renowned electroacoustic composers, Prof Denis Smalley and Prof Jonty Harrison, authors of many important articles, and among the most respected names in electroacoustic music and spatial sound.
The project Acousmatic Transcendence aims to develop alternative sound diffusion setups and to firmly establish the relation between the two sound systems: MAAST (Music and Audio Arts Sound Theatre; from the University of Kent) and Austrians First Acousmonium (The ACP Acousmonium from Vienna). Both systems are mobile in contrast to other diffusion systems permanently fixed in locations, which make them flexible and able to perform in diverse and challenging spaces. Combinations of systems are extremely rare and have not been deliberately done to see the implications of such mixtures; software and hardware synergies will bring interesting starting points for exploitation of the systems and spatial exploration. The MAAST/Acousmonium combination system will take full advantage of the spatial acoustics and will choreograph the sounds in the architectural space, making the actual building an integral part of the performed works. There is a strong emphasis on the use of technology and the acousmatic experience, i.e. listening without necessarily seeing an originating source or cause of sounds.

PROGRAMME

THURSDAY 14 MAY 2015

Workshop: Sound in Space 1 (free and open to all) 10:00 – 11:00 by Thomas Gorbach

Concert 18:00 – 20:30

Louise Rossiter – Tout Autour De La Montagne
Paul Fretwell – King’s Cross
Sam Salem – Too late, too far
Jean Louis Hargous – La fabrique du temps
Dennis Deovides Reyes – Bolgia
Tim Howle – Subplot Revision
John Nichols III – Gates
Leah Reid – Ring, Resonate, Resound
Anestis Logothetis – Untitled
Thomas Gorbach – Four variations with ribbed sounds
Elsa Justel – Cercles et Surfaces

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FRIDAY 15 MAY

Workshop: Sound in Space 2 (free and open to all) 10:00 – 11:00 by Thomas Gorbach

Concert 18:00 – 19:30

Denis Smalley – Pentes
Denis Smalley – Valley Flow
Denis Smalley – Resounding
Jonty Harrison – BEASTiary
Jonty Harrison – Internal Combustion
Jonty Harrison – Hot Air

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SATURDAY 16 MAY

Workshop: Sound in Space 3 (free and open to all) 10:00 – 11:00 by Thomas Gorbach

Concert 18:00 – 20:30

Panos Amelides – Olympic Games
Frederic Robinson – Paling
Ingrid Drese – Cri de Merlin, Hommage an C.G. Jung
Francis Dhomont – Here and There
Virginie Viel – Liberté chérie
Aki Pasoulas – Arborescences
Nikos Stavropoulos – Ballistichory
Thomas Gorbach – Viola Silvestris
Bernard Parmegiani – Capture Éphémère