development and interest in what could be described as 'dirty electronics' has taken root. These are electronic instruments and working methods that are directly opposed to those of a mass produced digital culture and may include some of the following characteristics: designer trash (deliberately made to look beaten-up or broken), ugly, cheap, heavy, hand-made, designed to be handled or to come in contact with the body, ready-mades, hacked, bent, fedback and kitsch.
The workshop will present a number of key concepts through the practical construction of a DIY electronic instrument from scratch, the Sudophone. The instrument consists of a simple oscillator, miniature loudspeaker, junk tin can and grip bolts. The Sudophone is played by gripping one of the bolts, whilst the other hand cups the opening of the tin to produce a harmon-like mute effect. Squeezing the bolts and tin changes the pitch of the instrument through using the conductivity of the human body. The workshop will conclude with performances by the workshop participants of pieces from Nine Easy Pieces for the Sudophone. No knowledge of electronics or previous experience at building electronic musical devices is needed.
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John Richards’ (1966) work explores performing with self-made instruments and the creation of interactive environments. He performs regularly with electro-noise improvisers kREEPA and the post-punk group Sand (Soul Jazz Records), and is he is actively involved in the performance of improvised music and community music projects. He is also a founder member of the composers' collective nerve8: an experimental electroacoustic diffusion group. In 2002, |
his work with kREEPA helped initiate the OIK project at STEIM, Amsterdam, that involved the hacking of commercially available hardware to create economic musical interfaces. He has worked with many leading improvisers and musicians in the field of live electronics and has performed extensively across the globe, predominantly in Europe, as well as Japan, Australia and the USA. Recent concerts have included performances at IRCAM, Paris, Fylkingen, Sweden, the Bent Festival, Los Angeles and Sonar, Barcelona. His work has received support from the Arts Council of England, The Performing Rights Society Foundation, and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. He has written numerous articles on hybridity, post-digital theory and dirty electronics: DIY and bricolage approaches to working with sound. John Richards completed a doctorate in electroacoustic composition at the University of York, UK, in 2002, and he is currently part of the Music, Technology and Innovation Research Centre at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK. Since 1990, he has also taught improvisation at Dartington International Summer School. |
links: www.jsrichards.com || www.kreepa.com
The course will be taught in English language.
Cost: 50 euro
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