Artistic Residency September 2023, University of Greenwich
Tout Croche, the musical duo formed by Stephen Harvey and Dominic Thibault whilst researching their respective PhD studies at University of Huddersfield, recently embarked on an artistic residency at the University of Greenwich. The duet had not worked together (in the same physical space) in the last five years due to the global pandemic, their eagerness to create music together made the invitation to work in the university’s facility, at the Centre for Sound and Image, irresistible.
The residency took place in Studio 3 which is equipped with a wonderful Genelec 5.1 surround sound system. Tout Croche were focused on a straightforward goal: to leave Greenwich with a fully composed album, ready for final mixing. They diligently worked in the studio, transforming improvisations from their previous sessions in Southampton into five distinct musical pieces, each lasting between 5 to 12 minutes.
Harvey and Thibault’s approach to composition is always full of spontaneity and playfulness. Initially, they craft musical feedback systems with various sonorous machines – synthesizers, effect pedals, instruments, etc. – enabling them to improvise for extended periods. From those improvisations, often lasting between 20 and 40 minutes, they edit and compose shorter pieces, exploring a delicate balance between fragile melodic material and thunderous noise in experimental structures.
During the residency at Greenwich, a significant aspect of the creative process involved experimenting with spatial composition using Dolby Atmos. This experimentation served as a testing ground, allowing them to understand how their music could be composed, mixed, and distributed using this technology. Dominic Thibault, an adjunct professor in Digital Music at Université de Montréal, was also interested in evaluating whether the spatial audio technique could be integrated in the institution’s curriculum.
The time spent in studio 3 during their residency at the University of Greenwich was a focused and productive endeavor. Coupled with the exploration of the advanced technologies afforded them at the Centre for Sound and Image, it contributed significantly to their creative process. The residency allowed them to refine their improvised audio material, significantly shaping the direction of their upcoming album.
The finished work will be released in spring 2024 as a collaboration between The Silent Howl and Label formes · ondes. The duet is evaluating the best means of distribution to retain the spatial qualities of the album, with both a physical release and online streaming. Following the release, Thibault and Harvey will be looking for opportunities to share their compo.
Words by Dominic Thibault