Interactive Tango Milonga: An Interactive Dance System for Argentine Tango Social Dance

abstract: When dancers are granted agency over music, as in interactive dance systems, the actors are most often concerned with the problem of creating a staged performance for an audience. However, as is reflected by the above quote, the practice of Argentine tango social dance is most concerned with participants internal experience and their relationship to the broader tango community. In this dissertation I explore creative approaches to enrich the sense of connection, that is, the experience of oneness with a partner and complete immersion in music and dance for Argentine tango dancers by providing agency over musical activities through the use of interactive technology. Specifically, I create an interactive dance system that allows tango dancers to affect and create music via their movements in the context of social dance. The motivations for this work are multifold: 1) to intensify embodied experience of the interplay between dance and music, individual and partner, couple and community, 2) to create shared experience of the conventions of tango dance, and 3) to innovate Argentine tango social dance practice for the purposes of education and increasing musicality in dancers.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Music 201

CMS South Central Regional Conference 2021 Program

Program for the 2021 virtual conference of the CMS South Central Chapter

INSAM Journal of Contemporary Music, Art and Technology 10 (I/2023)

Having in mind the foundational idea not only of our Journal but also the INSAM Institute itself, the main theme of this issue is titled “Technological Aspects of Contemporary Artistic and Scientific Research”. This theme was recognized as important, timely, and necessary by a number of authors coming from various disciplines. The (Inter)Views section brings us three diverse pieces; the issue is opened by Aida Adžović’s interview with the legendary Slovene act Laibach regarding their performance of the Wir sing das Volk project at the Sarajevo National Theater on May 9, 2023. Following this, Marija Mitrović prepared an interview with media artist Leon Eckard, concerning this artist’s views on contemporary art and the interaction between technology and human sensitivity. An essay by Alexander Liebermann on the early 20th-century composer Erwin Schulhoff, whose search for a unique personal voice could be encouraging in any given period, closes this rubric. The Main theme section contains seven scientific articles. In the first one, Filipa Magalhães, Inês Filipe, Mariana Silva and Henrique Carvalho explore the process and details of technological and artistic challenges of reviving the music theater work FE...DE...RI...CO... (1987) by Constança Capdeville. The second article, written by Milan Milojković, is dedicated to the analysis of historical composer Vojislav Vučković and his ChatGPT-generated doppelganger and opera. The fictional narrative woven around the actual historical figure served as an example of the current possibilities of AI in the domain of musicological work. In the next paper, Luís Arandas, Miguel Carvalhais and Mick Grierson expand on their work on the film Irreplaceable Biography, which was created via language-guided generative models in audiovisual production. Thomas Moore focuses on the Belgium-based Nadar Ensemble and discusses the ways in which the performers of the ensemble understand the concept of the integrated concert and distinguish themselves from it, specifying the broadening of performers’ competencies and responsibilities. In her paper, Dana Papachristou contributes to the discussion on the politics of connectivity based on the examination of three projects: the online project Xenakis Networked Performance Marathon 2022, 2023Eleusis Mystery 91_Magnetic Dance in Elefsina European Capital of Culture, and Spaces of Reflection offline PirateBox network in the 10th Berlin Biennale. The penultimate article in the section is written by Kenrick Ho and presents us with the author’s composition Flou for solo violin through the prism of the relationship between (historically present) algorithmic processes, the composer, and the performer. Finally, Rijad Kaniža adds to the critical discourse on the reshaping of the musical experience via technology and the understanding of said technology using the example of musique concrète. In the final Review section, Bakir Memišević gives an overview of the 13th International Symposium “Music in Society” that was held in Sarajevo in December 2022

Composing idiomatically for specific performers : collaboration in the creation of electroacoustic music

Cette thèse examine l'impact de la collaboration avec des instrumentistes particuliers sur la composition de quatre œuvres électroacoustiques. Assumant un rôle plus important que celui de consultant ou conseiller, les interprètes ont influencé les décisions de l'auteur / compositeur dans le cadre de multiples ateliers et d'enregistrements de ceux-ci. Cette thèse examine ainsi comment les outils médiatiques de la musique électroacoustique affectent et enrichissent les relations personnelles : ces outils favorisent la transcription et la traduction, qui à la fois soulignent et transforment la spécificité du son. Le dialogue de la collaboration permet par la suite non seulement une réconciliation plus facile entre les éléments médiatisés et directs dans une oeuvre, mais aussi l'ouverture de son potentiel d'interprétation. En se servant d'une méthodologie qui fait appel à une pratique d'auto-réflexion et récursivité, cette thèse explore des sujets tels que : l'analyse du style personnel dans un cadre linguistique; l'importance du contact physique dans la collaboration et sa traduction incomplète sur support; et les défis de la préservation de la musique électroacoustique pour média ou interprète particulier. Des exemples de la création collaborative de quatre œuvres, racontés de manière personnelle, sont tressés parmi le récit plus théorique de cette thèse, imitant le va-et-vient de la recherche-création.This dissertation examines the impact of collaboration with specific instrumental performers on the composition of four electroacoustic works. Acting as more than consultants or advisors, the performers influenced the author/composer's decision-making in multiple workshop situations and in the recordings of these meetings. This dissertation thus examines the ways in which the media tools of electroacoustic music affect and extend personal relationships: these tools encourage transcription and translation, activities that highlight and transform specificity. The dialogue of collaboration subsequently not only allows for an easier reconciliation between mediatized and live elements within a work, but also to an opening out of its interpretive potential. Using a methodology that involves recursive and self-reflexive practice, this dissertation explores topics such as: the analysis of personal style in the framework of language; the importance of eye-to-eye, physical contact in collaboration and its incomplete translation onto media; and the challenges of preserving performer- and media-specific electroacoustic music. Examples from the collaborative creation of four works, acting as personal accounts, are braided into the more theoretical narrative of this dissertation, reflecting mimetically the to and fro of research-creation

Creative interactions between visual technology and sound art in a live performance context

For introducing this thesis, it is important to place it in a context of: models of interactivity – systems, systemic work, mediation, participation, collaboration, interfaces, dance, drawing, video, sound, interaction, multimedia, Digital versus analogue, layers, physical time versus performance and film time, physical space versus virtual space, material (paper ink etc.) versus light projection and sound, wearable technology, and to briefly pinpoint artists who are working in relevant ways for the discussion arising. Within dance itself the use of new technology is also varied and has seen the creation of different contexts for Dance The main question is on how to achieve a creative solution for nonintrusive technology for dance expression and a dialogue between different parts like drawing, video, dance improvisation, interactive performative dialogues and sound. By nonintrusive technology one means technology that does not physically interfere with the ability a dancer has to move freely like cables, wires or heavy suits that restrict movement instead of promoting it. Finding a research framework that goes towards this idea is at the forefront of this research as well as testing a system that goes towards this idea of allowing the dancers to perform freely without physical constrictions or barriers. The main research question is therefore split into several smaller items that will be looked at within the body of this research like where did the interaction between Dance and Technology had its roots? This research focuses on finding a way to marry video technology, drawing, sound and live performance from the performer’s point of view, to enhance the performer´s ability to interact with the elements, for the performers freedom to move without technological constrictions. This project is about creating a situation that allows for observation of the performers, exploring and educating themselves through experimenting and experiencing technology brought together thinking about movement itself. It uses improvisation as a language tool to facilitate a dialogue between technology and live performance. ‘LFPF’ is proposing to develop a new approach to relationship between performer, stage and sound better still between performance and its special environment/context. It offers innovative possibilities without being intimidating. Once in place (once set up) it provides a new approach for artists to collaborate, it provides a common ground for Dance Performance and Fine/Sound Artists to merge their skills through experimentation with a live performance as the ultimate goal. ‘LFPF’ – Live Film Performance Facilitator tests and provides a new approach to the relationship between live performance, film and sound when combined in live performance situations. It enables the use of improvisation as performance language, giving birth to a constructive dialogue between video technology and live performance. ‘LFPF’ is a structured environment for exploration of movement through film concepts with the input given by drawings. It enables a live video to develop in front of the audience. It enables the performers to inhabit a truly responsive environment that changes depending on their reaction. It is a twoway dialogue between performers and spatial context powered by a second performer inputting drawings. It also frees the performers from directly having to manipulate any technology and deal with just the artistic result of it. It is therefore a human mediated technological environment. ‘LFPF’ was tested in a series of performances. There are various ways in which Video and Technology are nowadays integrated into Live Performance. It is only natural that the marriage between these elements is going to create an increasingly fluid language for the future. I feel it is essential to think about creating a performance language which supports the ideas of artists, therefore the technology at the service of the artists and never the other way around. That is the idea when I refer to technology in the introduction as a tool for developing creativity.Para realizar a apresentação desta tese será necessário, antes de mais, colocála no seu devido contexto: modelos de interactividade – sistemas, trabalho sistémico, mediação, participação, multimédia, representação digital versus analógica, camadas, tempo físico versus tempo de performance e vídeo, espaço físico versus espaço virtual, material (papel, tinta, etc.) versus projecção de luz e som, tecnologia vestível, e salientar resumidamente quais os artistas que se encontram a desenvolver trabalho relevante na presente área em discussão. Dentro da área da dança em si, já se assiste também à utilização de variadas novas tecnologias e à criação de diferentes contextos. A principal questão que aqui se coloca, é como alcançar uma solução criativa relativa às tecnologias não invasivas para a expressão na dança, e como estabelecer um diálogo entre as diferentes partes, como o desenho, o vídeo, a improvisação na dança, os diálogos interactivos e performativos e o som. Quando fazemos uso do termo “tecnologia não invasiva”, estamos a referirnos concretamente a qualquer tecnologia que não interfira com a integridade física de um dançarino e com a sua capacidade de se mover livremente, tais como cabos, fios ou roupas pesadas, que restrinjam os movimentos em vez de os fazerem fluir. Esta constitui a base do meu projecto: encontrar um quadro de investigação que vá ao encontro desta ideia, assim como encontrar um sistema de ensaio que permita ao dançarino actuar livremente, sem condicionantes ou barreiras físicas. O tema principal de investigação encontrase, como tal, dividido em vários pontos, que irão ser analisados individualmente ao longo da tese, como por exemplo: quando é que surgiu a interacção entre a dança e a tecnologia? O enfoque principal desta investigação é o de tentar casar a tecnologia de vídeo, desenho, som e performance ao vivo do ponto de vista do performer, de forma a melhorar a sua capacidade de interacção com os outros elementos, com total liberdade de movimentos e sem constrições tecnológicas. Este projecto pretende criar uma situação que permita a observação dos performers, explorando e educandose a si mesmos, através da experimentação e do uso de tecnologia aliadas ao movimento. A improvisação é utilizada como uma ferramenta de diálogo, de forma a facilitar a comunicação entre a tecnologia e a performance ao vivo. O ‘LFPF’ propõe desenvolver uma nova abordagem para a relação entre o performer, palco, som e ainda, entre a performance e o seu ambiente/contexto particular. Oferece possibilidades inovadoras sem se tornar intimidante. Uma vez colocado (devidamente configurado), proporciona novas possibilidades de colaboração entre os artistas e uma base comum para que o espectáculo de dança e os artistas plásticos/sonoros possam fundir artes, através da experimentação e do objectivo último: a performance ao vivo. O ‘LFPF’ (Live Film Performance Facilitator) testa e oferece uma nova abordagem à relação entre a performance ao vivo, filme e som, quando combinados em performances ao vivo. Permite a improvisação como linguagem de performance, dando origem a um diálogo constructivo entre a tecnologia de vídeo e a performance ao vivo. O ‘LFPF’ é um ambiente estruturado, destinado à exploração do movimento através da projecção de vídeo, cujo input é fornecido por desenhos. Desta forma é possível desenvolver um vídeo em directo para uma audiência, permitindo que os performers se movam num ambiente verdadeiramente interactivo, que se altera de acordo com a sua reacção. É, portanto, um diálogo nos dois sentidos, entre performers e contexto espacial, complementado por um segundo performer que nos vai apresentando desenhos. Esta dinâmica liberta também os performers de manusearem directamente qualquer tipo de tecnologia, lidando apenas com o respectivo resultado artístico. Tratase assim de um ambiente tecnológico mediado pela acção humana. O ‘LFPF’ já foi testado em vários espectáculos. Hoje em dia, as componentes de vídeo e tecnológica encontramse integradas de várias formas nas performances ao vivo. É, por isso, perfeitamente natural que o casamento entre estes elementos vá criar uma linguagem cada vez mais fluída no futuro. Creio que é fundamental pensar em criar uma linguagem de performance que harmonize as ideias dos artistas, no sentido de colocar a tecnologia ao seu dispor e não o inverso. É este o princípio base que defendo quando, ao longo da introdução, faço referência à tecnologia como uma ferramenta para desenvolver a criatividade

Five object-based sound compositions

This text is a commentary on the nature of my principle artistic preoccupations over a period of research-creation spanning 2011 and 2013. The works discussed cover, each in their own way, various approaches to sound composition linked to physical objects. In effect, the object proves to be a fundamental element at the heart of discourse, which, though anchored in sound, is often multi-disciplinary. The object here is thus taken apart in its affective, conceptual, performative, visual, as well as sonic properties. The first part of this text illustrates the nature of the relationship between the physical object and the works submitted for this doctoral thesis. It focuses on the journey of the works: from their genesis in the artist’s collections of objects to their life on stage where the objects are used as visual elements in a performative context. The second part is dedicated to the conceptual and aesthetic content of the works, from which flow the principal elements of their discourse. Here, the relationships between the work, the concept and the sonic material are established, which together make up their aesthetic

Composition portfolio

PhD ThesisThis portfolio of compositions, prose and critical contextualisation is a practice-led PhD that incorporates site-specific field recording practice and electroacoustics into post-techno music production. Combining psychogeographical strategies and phonographic practices to investigate the production of a poetry of place within a rapidly gentrifying city, it also includes poetry and fiction written within the urban and architectural context of Newcastle upon Tyne from 2008 to 2012. An interactive city-wide art installation called Surrogate City brought these elements together during 2012 and is documented here. Straddling the cleft between rhythm, literature and place, this thesis draws on the writings of 20th century Irish writer James Joyce and contemporary African-American poet Nathaniel Mackey among others to quarry and sound out a particular relationship between music and writing centered around ideas of rhythm, meter and beats, specifically with regards to concepts of slippage and swing. An album of electronic music called Glyphic Bloom constructed from field recordings and experiments in beat programming is the fulcrum on which this practice-led research rests

The beauty of sonic waste: the transformation of sound debris and junk objects within environmentally based compositional practice – a methodology

The beauty of sonic waste is a practice-as-research project that contributes to new knowledge through the development of a sonic waste methodology and experiential insights within new compositions. Sonic waste is an alignment of a range of previously unconnected disciplines that collectively incorporate noise, junk objects and extraneous, sounds. The line of enquiry develops an empowering methodology in transforming waste to beauty, in this line of enquiry this is taken to mean the transformation of sounds and objects generally considered unwanted, to a condition of wanted. A holistic, ecological approach is adopted with themes of environmental awareness informing the methods adopted with the compositions. This complementary writing discusses the conceptual and critical topics informing the practical outcomes, and highlights the insights achieved from this approach within the wider methodology. In particular, the disciplines of Acoustic Ecology and Media Archaeology are aligned with the practice. The line of enquiry followed in this study revealed that the engagement within these related fields provided fertile strategic approaches in the development of the compositions. Throughout the critical writing it is argued that this proposed organisation and compositional appropriation of the ever-increasing sonic waste in society produces a positive and pro-active approach to both the understanding and abatement of junk sounds and objects. Through the implementation of this methodology it is possible to engage audiences and contribute to conditions leading towards pro-active change in our understanding of the environmental issues of noise and object pollution. The practice encourages recycling and repurposing waste materials and promotes an awareness of the effects of noise in the environment. The practice portfolio includes a range of outcomes including stereo recordings, live performance, theatre, film soundtracks and sound installations. Four compositions have been selected as case studies, the first two of which are discussed in detail. A wide range of additional studies and compositions were also undertaken to provide focused research insights. These studies fed into the selected compositions and are discussed at appropriate points