A portfolio of acousmatic compositions

This portfolio consists of a series of acousmatic compositions presented in stereophonic and multichannel formats. The works in this portfolio reflect a variety of different compositional approaches undertaken during a period of time between 2010-2013. In this compositional research particular emphasis is given to the use of diverse sonic materials and their relationship in the exploration of acousmatic composition, along with discussion of important underlying principles and ideas, such as evocation, topos, mood and emotional states, anamnesis and catharsis. In addition, a secondary part of this compositional research uses text and voice within a musical context while still assimilating the aforementioned notions. Furthermore, this commentary reveals the compositional process in general by detailing its formation. Each piece is then individually discussed in order to outline the compositional objectives in relation to the key subjects of investigation

Portfolio of compositions: emotion, meaning & narrative in electroacoustic music

This thesis comprises a portfolio of acousmatic compositions which explore the evocation of emotion and the expression of meaning in electroacoustic music. These works, created and developed in the Electroacoustic Music Studios of the University of Birmingham, embrace both stereo and multichannel formats. In the accompanying Commentary, I also discuss compositional procedures and provide some analytical notes on each work, along with an outline of my own personal development as an electroacoustic composer during the period of the PhD programme

The Composer Isn't There: A personal exploration of place in fixed media composition

Composition Portfolio: Blanket (2005), Low_r (2007), Hollow (2007), Invisible (2007), Dawn (2008), Green Gate (2009), Voice (2009), Morning (2009), Throbbing (2012), Áitleku (2012)This practice-based research is concerned with a collection of fixed media compositions written between 2005 and 2012 with accompanying contextual writing. The primary focus of this research was to produce sound works, but the concept of place has played a significant role throughout both the compositional process and in the reflection of each composition. This research explores how place is ‘heard and felt’ (Feld, 2005) in a composition and how recollected memory impacts on the compositional process. Artistic decisions made with regard to creating the compositions reflect my personal place and associations with these sound materials at a given time whether they are field recordings or synthesised materials. The way in which sound material is subsequently processed and structured reflects this. Place and the compositional practice inform each other in a two-way process. This results in what Katharine Norman (2010) has referred to in her writing on sound art as an ‘autoethnographic’ journey; a representation of the creator’s personal experience. I have begun to reflect on these compositions as art works that represent a particular time or place. The artwork represents the trace of the place from which it was composed (Corringham, 2010). I believe that I cannot totally transport a person to my place; rather, I intend this creative representation to enable the listener to create and inspire their own narrative