Dr Brigid Burke, Independent Artist
Chamber Music/instrument
building/audio/visual performance is becoming a new field of creative practice
and performance. It’s fuelled by the imagery of three dimensional art spaces in
contemporary performance culture and is increasingly acceptable and engaging
with old art forms and new technologies combined with live digital audio and
imagery projection.
In this analysis, I will examine
detailed aspects of specific audio/visual/instrument building in live
performances. The Glass String formerly The Angst of the String for
Chamber strings, String Percussion instruments, live electronics/pre-recorded
and video depicts different performance outcomes from the same instruments,
score, and intention, from the original onset of the idea. I will focus on the
performance spaces and audio-visual delivery across a range spaces and
performers including separate audio and visual outcomes.
The Glass String (formally The
Angst of the String) in the long term will be the creation of an ensemble
work for chamber string ensemble – 8 violinists, 4 cellos, 4 String Percussion
instruments, live electronics/pre-recorded and video. The percussion and string
instruments are made from glass, paper, gold leaf, lights, discarded violins,
violas and cellos, live and pre-recorded electronics and video. It is a
notated, audio-visual composition for Chamber Ensemble. The artistic rationale
is based on 24 deconstructed pieces of violins, violas and cellos. The Glass
String explores different audio out comes using surfaces of vibration, overtone,
intonation and attack on the string from both the traditional and percussion
string instruments exploring old traditional technologies and new phenomenon.
Each string instrument has been transformed into a string/percussion instrument
that has attached microphones, effects units that are controlled by switch
pedals and sensors by the performers and electronic artist that controls the
live visuals. The instruments have also attached lights and cameras that are
projected live with pre-recorded visual footage and live cameras. The Chamber
ensemble plays the transformed string instruments and their conventional string
instruments. The score explores extended techniques, percussive sounds, graphic
/traditional notations and microtonality, whisper sounds and glissandi.
This creation will investigate sound worlds from each of the Chamber instrumentalists from a mechanical investigation with a wash of constant rhythmic patterns repeated that gradually become disjointed and fragmented as the effects are changed throughout the composition. The Glass String combines thick textures and extremities in all the instrumentation both audibly and visually.
Biography
Brigid Burke is
an Australian composer, performance artist, clarinet soloist, visual artist,
video artist and educator whose creative practice explores the use of acoustic
sound and technology to enable media performances and installations that are
rich in aural and visual nuances. Her work is widely presented in concerts,
festivals, and radio broadcasts throughout Australia, Asia, Brazil, Europe and
the USA. Brigid’s main focus is
integrating musical ideas with a combination of different media. Each component
of media is a tool in the exploration of her artistic process: sound (acoustic,
laptop, clarinets and electronics), composition, improvisation, installation,
collaboration (with dancers, acoustic performers and other new media
performers), print making, pen and ink drawings, painting and animation
(digital).
Her involvement New Music has led her to integrate sound, visuals, video mixing and theatre in her performances of her own work and in collaboration with other composers/performers. Other ensembles Brigid performs with are: Tri Duo with Grania Burke, Nunique Quartet, Pausa with Adrian Sherriff, Collage and BHZ with Mark Zanter and Steve Hall based in the USA and Duo with David McNicol piano. Currently she curates with Mark Pedersen SEENSOUND a monthly Visual Music series at the LOOP Bar Melbourne – seensound.com Recently she has been a recipient of an Australia Council Project Music Fellowship & new work commissions ‘Burning Antrils’, ‘Coral Bells’ & “Instincts and Episodes’ also Artist in Resident at Marshall University USA with a Edwards Distinguished Professor Artist Residency, Indiana University USA in 2015 & 2017 also ADM NTU Singapore. Also most recently she has presented her works on the Big screen at Federation Square Melbourne, Tilde Festival, ABC Classic FM. and International Media Festival at the Trafacka Arena in Prague, ICMC International Computer Music Conference Perth Australia, Echofluxx 14-19 Festivals Prague, Generative Arts Festivals in Rome, Milan, Ravena & Florence Italy, Asian Music Festivals in Tokyo, The Melbourne International Arts Festival, Futura Music Festival Paris France, Mona Foma Festival Hobart, The International Clarinet Festivals in Japan and Canada also Seoul and Australian International Computer Music Festivals. She has a PhD in Composition from UTAS and a Master of Music in Composition from The University of Melbourne.
www.brigid.com.au