DESIGNING THE (RE)CONTEXT: STOLEN GOODS (STOCKETUS)

This paper discusses my work, Stolen goods (Stocketus) from 2017 for ensemble, digital electronics and 'pile of loudspeakers'. The work was designed to juxtapose acoustic musical instruments and the loudspeakers (and microphones) that are so often used to project performances to the audience. By structuring the composition around the insertion of a descending time delay (going down from five to zero seconds over the duration of the work), a performance of the work explores different sonic interactions between the ensemble and the loudspeakers, for instance, creating echoes, rhythmical patterns, or simple phasing effects. In my research I am interested in how the use of technology operationalizes the performance context as a musical element rather than as a frame for a concert. Amplification technology can recontextualize musical performances and the use of music technology for this work was designed with this recontextualization in mind. The paper will address both aesthetic as well as practical considerations, e.g. notation and synchronization of the score, electronics and performers, and finishes with plans for future works.