“PrismaSonus: Unmasking and Choreographing Hidden Nuances in Flute Playing via Microphone Placement”
PrismaSonus is an artistic research initiative exploring the relationship between microphone placement, technique, and perception. By placing sensors inside the body of the instrument, this project highlights timbres and microtechniques that are otherwise hidden to performers and listeners. PrismaSonus examines how technology, technique, notation, and listening interact and converge in electroacoustic collaborations, proposing novel ways of creating immersive auditory experiences.
This presentation features the research element of Morphés for Flute and Electronics, presented at Thursday evening’s concert. Project creators Alexander Ishov and Theocharis Papatrechas will:
Demonstrate and analyze the musical and acoustical findings of PrismaSonus using pre-recorded material and live demonstrations;
Discuss methods for describing and notating electroacoustic flute techniques;
Share musical applications of technical research;
Present their collaborative model as a potential option for other performer-composer duos.
In June 2023, the team will expand the live performance version presented at this conference into Morphés II, occupying the 32 loudspeakers of the Experimental Theater at UC San Diego’s Music Department. Morphés III will be an online version of the project, mixed binaurally for headphones. Later in 2023, PrismaSonus will unveil an interactive database of electronically-mediated flute techniques that will serve as a modern, interactive resource for flutists and composers taking upon electroacoustic collaboration.