Curator statement from Antoanetta Ivanova:

” One of the prominent works in the exhibition is the interactive audio-visual installation Sound Chamber by Kynan Tan and collaborators. Presented as a giant inflatable dome, the project deconstructs timeworn conceits about what an art experience should be. In its shared matrix of activities, the social network is central while the artwork is distributed between the public space of the gallery, the private space of participants, and the global networks it links to. The work enables a collective celebration of the pleasure and joy of all of us being connected to one another. ”

We are also very excited to have received a nomination for the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) best cross platform award. Interact with the Sound Chamber online or by visiting the work.

large scale composition / audio-visual work
for ensemble, electronics and video projections.

/ audio

spectra

01 – spectra / 4:31

senn

02 – senn / 4:58

developed, composed and realised 2010
performed by leviathan ensemble

/ performances

– 13/10/2010 / Music Auditorium, WAAPA / Bachelor of Music (Honours) recital

– 24/01/2011 / The Bakery, Perth / in support of The Thing! (Norway/Sweden) / presented by Tura New Music

// description

Composed during 2010 as the practical component to a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, but has since been performed outside of study. The composition process involved a year long study of exemplary electroacoustic works, definition of techniques to combine electronic and acoustic sound sources, and multiple workshop and development periods with the ensemble.

All scores are timed and read from synchronised computer displays, these involve the use of computer graphics, parameter graphs and randomised notation for the performers to interpret. The two computer performer parts each utilise synthesis, playback and live processing of the acoustic instruments. The notation and format of the work developed through working closely with the ensemble members and developing a language that allowed the performers limits of control within an improvised context, as well as finding methods of synthetically combining acoustic and electronic sound into a cohesive whole.

Some of the keys to this work : use of pre-recorded, real-time and manipulated sound synthesis and sampling; scoring for acoustic instruments and electronics using similar techniques and methods; spreading frequencies and textures across the entirety of the frequency spectrum, use of spectral, overtone series based frequency selection; and combining elements of institutional electroacoustic music, modern electronica / microsound and modern experimental band formats (jazz and post-rock).

leviathan ensemble (2010) :
Ben Hamblin – clarinet
Lindsay Vickery – bass clarinet
Tristen Parr – cello
Lyndon Blue – double bass
Chris De Groot – prepared rhodes piano/organ
Callum Moncreiff – vibraphone/drum kit
James Paul – computer
Kynan Tan – computer

// examples

/ video

quasi (excerpt) from lucidity from Kynan Tan on Vimeo.

/ image

/ score

I am very pleased to announce that I have been accepted into the JUMP Mentoring Program for 2012. This year I will team up with mentor Robin Fox (Melbourne) to receive advice and assistance while developing a new audio-visual work that involves live performance control of synchronous sound and image. Robin is a groundbreaking Australian audio-visual artist, particularly well-known for his live laser performances, dance collaborations, cathode ray oscilloscope works and computer music mastery.

The work I will create will be approx. 40 minutes and function as a multi-sensory concert performance. This new work will investigate synæsthesia by tying together computer-generated sound and image, and will possibly utilise multiple screens, multi-channel sound and camera/sensor input.

This mentorship is a fantastic opportunity: to work with one of the most inventive and skilled artists in Australia, while developing specific computer music and audio-visual skills. This means I will be spending some time in Melbourne throughout the year, learning, seeing shows and hopefully performing.

Congratulations to all the other 2012 JUMP mentees and mentors.

From the auxxx website:

for the first AUXXX of 2012 the ODD-OZ concept of presenting an evening of artists from down-under has appeared by itself again, this time in Berlin…

AUXXX / BERLIN
Kastenienallee 77 (lichtblikino)
10435 BERLIN

FRIDAY 27 JANUARY 2012

Doors Open 21:00
Show Starts 22:00

Té is the duo of Australian saxophonist Andrew Brooks and Australian sound artist Kynan Tan. Tan and Brooks have been working as a duo whilst living in Berlin in 2011 and have developed a common language and approach to improvisation.

From The Loft website:

31. Januar 2012 20:30
ZOUBEK – TAN – BROOKS (AUS/GER)

Philip Zoubek – prepared piano ; Kynan Tan – laptop, live electronics ; Andrew Brooks – saxophone

This performance will bring together for the first time the Koln based pianist and composer, Philip Zoubek with Australian saxophonist Andrew Brooks and Australian sound artist Kynan Tan. Tan and Brooks have been working as a duo whilst living in Berlin and have developed a common language and approach to improvisation. Joining them on prepared piano is the performer/composer Philip Zoubek, who brings an exciting and original musical language to this group.

philipzoubek.com

Listen/Hear Collective have just released the remix album of Motion’s debut album, titled Re: Presence. Shoeb Ahmad, Georgio Magnanensi and myself have remixed tracks from the original stems to result in 5 huge tracks that build and develop on the original.

My contribution morphs the contemplative track here.now, beginning with electronic crackles and extended harmony, then moving into bass and drums-dominated driving patterns. Head over to the Listen/Hear Bandcamp to grab the remix album, or the full original album plus remixes. I am rather happy with this remix and of course look forward to future remix opportunities.

In other news: My album rætina is coming out on Listen/Hear early next year, with a launch planned for Perth with a live band. More info coming soon.

Listen/Hear are doing a 12 days of Christmas feature, giving out free tracks from featured artists.

I recently finished mixing the recordings for my ensemble work lucidity which may see light soon. And many other exciting developments and projects to be mentioned soon…

for four instruments, four visual sources and four loudspeakers

Commissioned by Decibel New Music Ensemble
http://decibel.waapamusic.com/

Composed, programmed and realised August 2011 in Berlin, Germany

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// performances
– 28/08/2011 / Decibel / Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts Performance Space / Camera Obscura Concert / Tura Totally Huge New Music Festival

Decibel members : Cat Hope, Lindsay Vickery, Stuart James, Malcolm Riddoch, Tristen Parr, Aaron Wyatt

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// description

Decibel commissioned Kynan Tan to write a piece for their upcoming Camera Obscura concert as part of the Tura Totally Huge New Music Festival. This concert featured works for electroacoustic ensemble that highlighted unusual relationships between sound and image. split mirror planes attempts to disrupt the relationship between audio and vision in temporal synchronicity, quality relationship (symbolic, timbral, texture) and spatial relationship.

The four performers improvise by interpreting scored instructions, notated as gestures or suggestive descriptions. The four laptops generate visuals and sounds. These are kept isolated to the laptop screen and loudspeakers respectively. The acoustic instruments, electronic sound and visuals each progress independently of one another. By doing this the laptops are treated as instruments, while the visuals also constitute a scored performer.

Expectations created by a particular quality of sound are met with opposing, unsynchronised vision, and vice-versa. This spectrum is exploited and navigated throughout the piece, resulting in the space being articulated by dissonances and resonances between media. Throughout the piece the instruments and video develop through different trajectories, eventually reaching a similar rhythmic pace and connected timbre/quality.

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// examples
–
/ video

decibel performance / PICA / 2011

excerpt of multi-screen video material

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/ images

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// technical

Length: 8′ (can be extended)

– composition can be adjusted for any four instruments – the original performance comprised of bass flute, bass clarinet, cello + percussion
– scores can be read from paper or from computer displays
– video should be triggered by four synchronised digital video sources
– original performance used four Macintosh laptops
– performance space should be as dark as possible, performers and screens are spread out throughout the performance space
– computer program and patch are available for further performances

WARNING: This work contains visuals that utilise bright, flashing lights.

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// further information

For requests to perform this work please contact
Kynan Tan (contact@kynantan.com)

Work is currently available to be performed

two trial images for Sound Scripts Vol. 3: Proceedings of the Inaugural Totally Huge New Music Festival Conference 2009

The paper that I co-wrote with Cat Hope while studying – “Spatialising Threads/Hallucinations: Closing the gap between installation and performance” appears here. Chapters are available for download online or the book is available for purchase, here.