Dafna Naphtali: Audio Chandelier | Hans Tammen: Endangered Guitar
Date:
Wed, 04/24/2019 - 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location:
CCRMA Classroom
Event Type:
Guest Colloquium The CCRMA Colloquium will host two talks by Dafna Naphtali and Hans Tammen.
Dafna Naphtali: Audio Chandelier
Abstract
Dafna Naphtali will give an artist talk about her recent and ongoing projects and teaching. Along with discussion about her Audio Chandelier multi-channel performances and installations, Dafna will also discuss her long-time work with live processing and improvisation.
Audio Chandelier - individual grains of nearly static sound dispersed to 8-16 speakers, altered as granular synthesis illuminates and refracts moments in time. Field recordings, “found sound” audio samples and live vocals are processed as one “grain” is sent to each speaker available. By manipulating the grains of sound (which remain static in each speaker) a surprising array of sounds and environments are created — from shimmering motion to reverberant spaces, to low crashing waves, to hyper-electronics refraction of sound, layered with additional audio using “SpeakerKeys” a MIDI keyboard-controlled routing of sounds as “notes”, one note per speaker so the speakers can be played as large group of individual sounding instruments. Audio Chandelier is a collection of pieces that have been presented since 2008 as multi-channel fixed media, an interactive performance, by smartphones ensemble and laptop orchestras (PLOrk, NYU), in Berlin (Urban Solar Audio Plant, Orbis Festivals) and at Societé des Artes Technologiques in Montreal. The next Audio Chandelier installation work—“Mappings” will be created during an upcoming Harvestworks residency in late 2019.
Dafna Naphtali is a sound-artist, vocalist, electronic musician and guitarist. A performer and composer of experimental, contemporary classical and improvised music since the mid-90’s, she creates custom Max/MSP programming for sound-processing of voice and other instruments, music for robots, “Audio Chandelier” multi-channel sound projects and “Walkie Talkie Dreams” audio augmented reality soundwalks in NY and Germany. “luminary” (Time Out) “extraordinary experimental vocalist” (Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery. “Brilliant and dangerous” All Music Guide.
Dafna Naphtali is a sound-artist, vocalist, electronic musician and guitarist. A performer and composer of experimental, contemporary classical and improvised music since the mid-90’s, she creates custom Max/MSP programming for sound-processing of voice and other instruments, music for robots, “Audio Chandelier” multi-channel sound projects and “Walkie Talkie Dreams” audio augmented reality soundwalks in NY and Germany. “luminary” (Time Out) “extraordinary experimental vocalist” (Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery. “Brilliant and dangerous” All Music Guide.
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Hans Tammen: Endangered Guitar
Abstract
The “Endangered Guitar” is a hybrid interactive instrument meant to facilitate live sound processing, which grew out of an already decade long practice of Fred Frith-inspired "prepared guitar" performances. An interactive software developed since the year 2000, the analysis of the incoming guitar sounds is used as control source for the processing of the same sounds. Subsequent programming of more and more “uncertainties” into the response of the software (such as data from his own DNA analysis) resulted in performances that were using the instrument more like a “co-player”. It has been presented in hundreds of concerts; in 23 different countries on 4 continents; in solo to large ensemble settings; through stereo to multichannel sound systems including Wavefield Synthesis; in collaborative projects with dance, visuals, and theater; and across many different musical styles.
The “Endangered Guitar” is a hybrid interactive instrument meant to facilitate live sound processing, which grew out of an already decade long practice of Fred Frith-inspired "prepared guitar" performances. An interactive software developed since the year 2000, the analysis of the incoming guitar sounds is used as control source for the processing of the same sounds. Subsequent programming of more and more “uncertainties” into the response of the software (such as data from his own DNA analysis) resulted in performances that were using the instrument more like a “co-player”. It has been presented in hundreds of concerts; in 23 different countries on 4 continents; in solo to large ensemble settings; through stereo to multichannel sound systems including Wavefield Synthesis; in collaborative projects with dance, visuals, and theater; and across many different musical styles.
Biography
Hans Tammen likes to set sounds in motion, and then sitting back to watch the movements unfold. With dynamics, rhythm, timbral and spatial explorations as primary elements, his music is continuously shifting, with different layers floating into the foreground while others disappear. His music has been described as an alien world of bizarre textures and a journey through the land of unending sonic operations, Signal To Noise called his playing “…a killer tour de force of post-everything guitar damage”.
Tammen's works have been presented on festivals in the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, India, South Africa, the Middle East and all over Europe. He recorded on labels such as Clang, Innova, ESP-DISK, Nur/Nicht/Nur, Gold Bolus, Creative Sources, Leo Records, Potlatch and Outnow. He received grants and composer commissions from NewMusicUSA, MAPFund, Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, American Music Center, Lucas Artists Residencies Montalvo, New York State Council On The Arts (NYSCA), New York Foundation For The Arts (NYFA), American Composers Forum w/ Jerome Foundation, New York State Music Fund, Goethe Institute w/ Foreign Affairs Office, among others.
Hans Tammen is currently teaching at School of Visual Arts, among other colleges. From 2001 to 2014 he has worked at Harvestworks Digital Media Art Center in NYC, where he was responsible for the Client Services, Education and Artist In Residence program, helping countless digital media artists through completion of their works. As an arbitrator at BTQ in the 1990s, he has has spent a decade advising unions about electronic monitoring and surveillance at the workplace, and negotiating contracts and agreements to minimize surveillance aspects. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Kassel, studying on a stipend from Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
FREE
Open to the Public