Hyper-Objects: Acousmatic Music in Connection

Alberto Tudisca is a sound artist and music producer who began his artistic journey at the age of 14, influenced by drumming and jazz. His talent led him to the world of electronic music at the Conservatory of Palermo, culminating in the prestigious "Premio Nazionale delle Arti" for his composition "Isola." He expanded his horizons in the Netherlands, pursuing studies at the Music Production Academy in Rotterdam and Fontys. His innovative work in Ambisonic technology has distinguished him. Alberto is also a creator of art installations, such as "Substantia" and "The Online Game," showcasing his artistic versatility. As the founder of Space_tial, he combines soundscapes, IDM music, and video mapping. He currently resides in Tilburg, exploring themes of AI, space, and ecology in his creations.

Synopsis of the work:

"Isola" is a sound research project presented in the form of a soundscape composition. Its central purpose is to raise awareness in the listener about themes of isolation and loneliness in an increasingly interconnected world. In a digital age where information and artificial stimuli abound, "Isola" delves into the spaces between them, exploring the reactions of our hypnotized inner world, which is becoming increasingly unconscious and unknown. The project draws inspiration from the works of Trevor Wishart and Horacio Vaggione and was created using digital tools and techniques. It is an honor to mention that this composition was awarded the prestigious "Premio Nazionale delle Arti," one of the most important awards among students at an Italian conservatory.

 Bracha Bdil (1988) is an Israeli-British composer, conductor, and pianist, recognized with the Prime Minister’s Prize for Composition (Israel, 2022) and the ACUM Award (2019). Her education includes a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Levinsky College and a Master’s degree in Music Education and Composition from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, under the guidance of Andre Hajdu and Haim Permont. With numerous international awards, her works have been performed at festivals worldwide, including the Contemporary Music Festival in Puebla, Mexico, and the New Music Festival in Paraná, Brazil. Bracha is the founder of Space_tial, creating immersive blends of soundscapes and electronic music. Beyond her artistic career, she is a member of the Israel Composers' League, with works published by the Israel Music Institute. She is also a lecturer at various music institutions and, since 2018, has served as the artistic director and principal conductor of the Zmora Women’s Orchestra in Jerusalem.

Synopsis of the work:

"UrbaNature." This work seeks to express the ideal of natural life and human purity, contrasting it with the existential urban-technological reality dominated by commercialism and the relentless pursuit of achievements. Through a fusion of urban sounds, the piece reflects on the impact of life in large cities on the human essence, highlighting the disconnection between humanity and nature. The sonic narrative invites the audience to contemplate the endless quest for success and competitiveness, as well as the importance of reconnecting with the soul and the organic movement of life.

 Daniel Blinkhorn is an Australian composer and new media artist deeply dedicated to environmental sound. In addition to his work as a lecturer in composition and music technology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he is active in various creative, academic, and research contexts. As a passionate field recordist, Daniel has conducted numerous recording expeditions in diverse locations such as Africa, Alaska, the Amazon, Australia, Cuba, the West Indies, Mexico, Madagascar, Mauritania, the Middle East, Northern Europe, and the high Arctic and North Pole regions of Svalbard. His creative talent has been recognized with over 40 awards in major international composition competitions. Although he developed his skills in environmental sound, electroacoustic music, and sound art largely through self-teaching, Daniel also holds formal training in composition and creative arts from several Australian universities.

Synopsis of the work:

On the coast of Tanzania, on the small island of Zanzibar, I came across a bazaar in Stonetown filled with beautiful African instruments. I was drawn to a small, handmade kibuyu. This humble instrument buzzed and creaked, far from perfect, but when I plucked a metal plectrum, it instantly produced a musically pleasing sound. In Swahili, "kibuyu" translates to "calabash," the box-shaped resonator used in the instrument’s construction. I wanted to use the term as a metaphor similar to the resonance phenomenon of seashells, except that in this case, when holding the kibuyu to the ear, one does not hear the sound of the ocean but rather a more dynamic abstraction of sound images resonating far beyond the instrument itself and deeply into the island of Zanzibar and its many evocative soundscapes. All the material within the composition comes from the plucking of three metal plectra on the kibuyu, with no additional sound material used in the piece.

 Daria Baiocchi is a multifaceted artist with master's degrees in piano, classical composition, and electronic music, as well as a degree in Classical Literature from the University of Bologna. Her compositions have been recognized worldwide, earning awards at festivals such as the Lithuania Biennial and the Philadelphia Art Film Festival. As a composer, her works have been selected for numerous national and international events, and her compositions for video art have been exhibited in various countries and broadcast by International ART TV. Daria is also a professor of Sound Design at several institutions and the director of the Online Museum of Sound Art in Ascoli Piceno, in addition to hosting a radio program dedicated to contemporary music and sound design.

Synopsis of the work:

"Hyperloop" is a sound art piece inspired by Elon Musk's high-speed train. The composer manipulated various sounds recorded in sealed tubes and low-pressure tube systems. The decision to use "glissando" as a metaphor for speed creates a dynamic and dizzying atmosphere. The work is composed of four parts: A-B-A'-B'. This macrostructural organization allows the listener to perceive the piece as an infinite loop, reflecting the idea of continuous movement and the speed of the Hyperloop.

 Michael Edward Edgerton is an active composer whose works are performed worldwide. His compositions have been internationally awarded, including the prestigious German prize, the Kompositionspreis der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart. He is recognized for his leadership in vocal exploration and his influence on an entire generation through his book The 21st Century Voice (Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2015), which proposes methods for investigating singing within the context of vocal science. Michael earned his doctorate in Composition from the University of Illinois, where he primarily studied with William Brooks. Currently, he is a Professor of Music at Lund University/Malmö Academy of Music, where he directs the Artistic Research Program in Music.

Synopsis of the work:

"Wassermann" features an extensive transformation of source materials, highlighting extended vocal samples that are stretched and distorted often beyond recognition. The concept of the piece is inspired by the idea of continuous transformation, as described by Henry Miller in Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymous Bosch, emphasizing the fluidity of identity and the constant transmutation of beings and objects. The piece uses a program designed to seek efficiency in evoking a response but is sabotaged to become inefficient and chaotic, reflecting a critique of Southern California pop culture. "Wassermann" constructively presents a constellation of correspondences between a source and its output, exploring varied and sometimes imperceptible associations. The voice featured is that of Ute Wassermann.

 João Pedro Oliveira holds the Corwin Endowed Chair in Composition at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He studied organ, composition, and architecture in Lisbon and completed his doctorate in Music at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. His music includes orchestral compositions, chamber music, electroacoustic music, and experimental video. He has received over 70 international awards for his works, including the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship in 2023, as well as the Magisterium Prize in Bourges, the Giga-Hertz Award, the 1st Prize in the Metamorphoses competition, and the 1st Prize in the Música Nova competition. He has been a professor at the University of Aveiro and the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He has published numerous articles in national and international journals and authored a book on analytical theory of 20th-century music.

Synopsis of the work:

"La Mer Émeraude" transports the listener to a small, invented world—a microcosm filled with matter, energy, and tectonic movements. In this imaginary setting, there are mysteries, natural and supernatural forces, all enveloped by a living ocean. The piece, composed at the Musiques-Recherches studio, is an ode to the complexity and beauty of nature, dedicated to Annette Vande Gorne and Francis Dhomont. Throughout the performance, the audience is invited to immerse themselves in this unique sonic universe, exploring its mysteries and uncovering its layers of meaning.

 Jorge Ramos (b. 1995) is a multi-award-winning Portuguese composer, electronics performer, sound artist, and researcher based in London. He has composed solo, chamber, symphonic, and electroacoustic music, as well as works for film, stage, installations, and advertising, presenting his pieces at festivals and with orchestras across multiple continents. He has received grants, scholarships, and awards from prestigious institutions such as the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the Royal College of Music London. Ramos trained at the Calouste Gulbenkian Conservatory of Music in Braga, the Lisbon Superior School of Music, and holds a PhD in Musical Composition from the Royal College of Music London. Currently, he collaborates on research projects in contemporary music and orchestration.

Synopsis of the work:

In this composition, the composer reflects on the nature of sound and its relationship with the surrounding environment. Inspired by Dennis Smalley’s concept of source bonding, he explores auditory perception and redefines how we understand and listen to sound. The piece Paysage is an expression of this reflection—a soundscape that emerges from the processing of everyday sounds during a period of confinement. This work invites the audience to contemplate the music that is always present around us, even in the simplest moments of daily life. Honorable Mention at the 2021 International Electroacoustic Composition Competition of the Música Viva Festival, organized by Miso Music Portugal.

Artiom Constantinov is a composer and sound designer based in Italy. Primarily working with glitch sounds, synthesis, and sound degradation in his compositions, his latest work, Information Disorder, explores different techniques for generating and manipulating sound through Pure Data. Additionally, he works as a location sound recordist, sound designer, and composer for films, documentaries, and other media. He holds a master's degree in Sound Design from the Bologna Conservatory and a bachelor's degree in Electronic Music from the Vicenza Conservatory.

Synopsis of the work:

Information Disorder is a composition that addresses how we perceive information in the digital age and the amount of information we need to filter to understand what is true or false. It is also a work about the deconstruction and degradation of sound as a compositional tool.

Cláudio de Pina (b. 1977) is a sound artist, improviser, organist, and composer. He is the titular organist of the historic organ at the Parish of Ajuda (Lisbon) and a researcher at GIMC (CESEM). He holds a DAS in contemporary music for organ and a master’s degree distinguished with the Dean’s Roll of Honor in 2018. Currently, he is a PhD candidate and FCT scholarship holder in the same field (ESML/FCSH). He studied at the Gregorian Institute of Lisbon, Hot Jazz Club, and Physics Engineering (FCUL). He completed supplementary studies with renowned artists such as Adrian Moore, Åke Parmerud, Annette Vande Gorne, Barry Truax, Gilles Gobeil, Hans Tutschku, and Trevor Wishart. His works have premiered worldwide at various festivals and projects, and his acousmatic works have been published in prestigious collections. He has released two independent albums, Asteroeidēs and Palimpsestus, and in 2022, he released Avant-garde Organ, funded by the GDA Foundation and published by 9musas.

Synopsis of the work:

"Ceci n’est pas une..." is an acousmatic piece made solely with the sounds of smoking a pipe, part of a cycle inspired by famous painters. Referencing René Magritte’s work, the piece explores the distinction between sound and object, prompting listeners to reflect on the paralinguistics of the image. The sounds evoke the act of smoking, amplifying the sensory experience. This composition was presented during an international masterclass in electroacoustic composition at Lisboa Incomum.

 Manuella Blackburn earned her PhD in electroacoustic music composition in 2010 under the supervision of Professor Ricardo Climent at the University of Manchester. Since then, she has taught at Liverpool Hope University and, from 2019, at Keele University. With over 15 years of experience, Manuella has created a wide range of electroacoustic music works, including music for instruments and electronics, sound installations, dance, and film. Her specialty is fixed media electronic music, published by the label Empreintes DIGITALes, with a focus on image-based composition methods. Her works have been presented in over 250 performances worldwide, in notable locations such as Alfortville, Athens, Bangor, Birmingham, Brussels, Calgary, Glasgow, Helsinki, Huddersfield, Leicester, Linz, Lisbon, Liverpool, Ljubljana, London, Lyon, Macclesfield, Madrid, Manchester, Melinka, Montreal, New York, Orford, Oslo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Seoul, Sheffield, Sofia, Trebel, Troy, Udine, Utrecht, Valdivia, Vienna, Villeneuve d’Ascq, Visby, and Victoria.

Synopsis of the work:

The composition is dominated by interruptions, acting as pauses, abrupt stops, cut-off moments, and restrained sighs. These moments represent the many interruptions experienced in my daily life, work, activities, and composition. Interruptions are temporal states where continuity is disrupted but later resumed or returned to after the interrupting event. In this work, interruptions are positioned as the main event, acting as focal points and instances to explore the creative potential of these typically unwanted occurrences. Many types of interruptions are constructed throughout the composition, showcasing the different outcomes between successful versus unsuccessful interruptions, those that form transitions versus those that threaten and forcibly break the continuous presence of sound. This creative experimentation with numerous interruptions is set in the context of domestic life and the sounds of home, mimicking the interruptions to flow and being at home for long periods and all that it entails.

 Mauro Diciocia works in the field of electroacoustic music, combining sounds and techniques from the tradition of musique concrète/tape music with a modern approach to noise music and soundscape composition. His sonic aesthetic is an object in perpetual motion, where the constant element is represented by the organic use of field recordings and found material, manipulated on magnetic tapes and digital processors. He has performed extensively across Europe and released his works on various labels in CD, LP, and limited-edition cassette formats. His most recent compositions have been presented at academic festivals such as Dissonanzen, ArteScienza, and CIM. He was an artist-in-residence at EMS in Stockholm, where he composed a quadraphonic work focused on the interaction between the Buchla 200 synthesizer system and digital manipulation processes. In 2021, he curated the soundtrack and sound design for Demetrio Giacomelli’s film Lotta di classe, and in 2022, he collaborated with visual artists on environmental installations. Diciocia is a co-founder and curator of Aaltra, a cultural hub in Lecce dedicated to adventurous sonic languages, and collaborates as an acousmatic performer with the Acousmonium M.ar.e. He is also an audio technician and multimedia content manager at KORA - Center for Contemporary Arts in Lecce.

Synopsis of the work:

"Eterotopia #2410" is the first in a series of sound studies addressing Michel Foucault’s notion of heterotopia. These tangible spaces emerge concomitantly with the fundamental establishment of society and function as counter-sites, representing a form of rooted utopia where genuine places undergo simultaneous representation, contestation, and inversion. Despite their plausible locations in the real world, these spaces exist as entities distinct from the places they reflect and discuss, being designated as heterotopias, in contrast to utopian constructs. Heterotopias are distinguished by their unique ability to blend, within a single tangible realm, a multiplicity of spaces and places that are intrinsically incongruent with one another. Within this context, the realms of our primordial perception, our dreams, and our passions encapsulate intrinsic qualities, spanning a broad spectrum of luminous and ethereal characteristics, as well as shadowy and concealed ones.

Kokoras is an internationally award-winning composer and innovator in computer music, currently serving as Professor of Composition and Director of CEMI (Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia) at the University of North Texas. Originally from Greece, he received formal training in classical guitar and composition in Athens and later in York, England. His sound compositions use sound as the sole structural unit, aiming for a "holophonic musical texture" where each independent sound contributes equally to the overall synthesis. Kokoras has received significant recognition for his works, with commissions and grants from institutions and festivals worldwide. He is also a founding member of the Hellenic Electroacoustic Music Composers Association and currently serves as Secretary of the International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music.

Synopsis of the work:

"AI Phantasy" was composed at the GRIS multichannel studio at the University of Montreal in Quebec, Canada; at the sound dome of the MEIT theater at the Center for Experimental Music and Intermedia, University of North Texas; and in my home studio. One of the primary sound production mechanisms in the piece is a vacuum cleaner. Award, Ars Electronica Forum Wallis 2021, Leuk (Switzerland), and Award, Prizes and Mentions, Akousmatique 2022, Montreal (Quebec).

 Paul A. Oehlers is known for his "extraordinarily evocative" compositions for film soundtracks. His works have been showcased at prestigious festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival, the Philadelphia Film Festival, the Chicago Indiefest Film Festival, and the Hamptons International Film Festival, where the film Most High, featuring his soundtrack, won the Golden Starfish, the top prize for independent film in the United States. His compositions have also been presented at events in the U.S. and abroad, including conferences and electroacoustic music festivals. Paul Oehlers is currently the Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Audio Technology at American University in Washington, DC.

Synopsis of the work:

"Flow Hammer" is a work that delves into the sonic possibilities of the piano in an innovative and experimental way. Using physically altered piano strings, the composer takes us on a journey through a unique soundscape where the familiar sounds of the piano are transformed and reinvented. By acoustically preparing the source samples and manipulating them with techniques such as convolution, resonant filtering, and granular synthesis, the piece creates an immersive and evocative atmosphere. The result is a composition that challenges traditional expectations and invites us to explore new sonic horizons.

 Yunjie Zhang (b. 2004) is a Chinese composer currently in his second year of undergraduate studies at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, specializing in composition and electroacoustic music production. He has attended courses taught by Leigh Landy, Zhaogu Wang, and Chengbi AN, focusing on works that include fixed media, contemporary instrumental music, and various genres of popular music. His works stand out for expressing the combination of natural and poetic elements. His acousmatic piece won third place in the international MUSICACOUSTICA-2023 competition and has been presented in various countries, including Switzerland and China.

Synopsis of the work:

"The Chameleon" is an animal with the ability to change the color of its body. It primarily inhabits African tropical forests, and its extremely fast tongue can deliver a fatal blow to its prey. Inspired by a fascinating real-life encounter with a chameleon, this work explores the characteristics and metaphors of the chameleon, reimagining them through the language of pure sound in dramatic scenes: a fierce predator, the ability to cross rivers, delayed reactions, and color-changing abilities. The metaphorical chameleon is often a beautiful yet dangerous impostor, shrouded in mystery, ready to strike fiercely when least expected.