Ballistichory
[Acousmatic composition / fixed media]
Available in:
Micro-lieux, (2019), CD, Montréal, Québec: Empreintes DIGITALes
Date and Location of First Performance: 28 March 2015, Electronic Geographies 2, O’culto da Ajuda, Lisbon (Portugal)
- Submitting institution
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Leeds Beckett University
- Unit of assessment
- 33 - Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
- Output identifier
- 54
- Type
- J - Composition
- Month
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- Year
- 2015
- URL
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- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
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- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
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- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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- Research group(s)
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- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- The title of the work refers to a mode of seed dispersal. Fracturing of the seed pod releases stored elastic energy into kinetic energy launching its contents. The term has been used as the title to reflect the musical processes as well as timbral qualities of the work. The musical processes deal with the accumulation of energy, suggested here by the spectromorphological developments of sound objects, to the point of, sonically suggested, fracture and dispersion of particles. The work is an aural representation and an artistic interpretation of the phenomenon of ballistichory.
The work makes use of recordings which demonstrate characteristics of fragmentation and spatial dispersal (i.e. breakage of tempered glass) and accumulation of plastic energy (i.e. applying pressure on objects resulting in creaking sound materials). Original sound recordings have been processed using stochastic approaches to sound design. These involve the use of random fluctuation of control data in granular synthesis processes. Gradually introducing increasing random ranges to initial settings was found to result in sound behaviours which emulate the spatial, timbral and time structures of ballistichory.
Ballistichory was premiered at the Electronic Geographies 2, O’culto da Ajuda, Lisbon (Portugal) and has been programmed in festivals and concerts around the world (UK, USA, Mexico, Portugal, Austria, France, Greece). In 2016 it secured the 1st Prize at the Open Circuit Electroacoustic Competition in Liverpool, chosen from 230 international entries and was performed during the open circuit festival. The work was also awarded an honourable mention at the International Competition of Electroacoustic Composition and Visual-music in Argentina organised by the Destellos Foundation and was broadcast on radio shows which featured the winning works in Canada, Chile and the French national radio. In 2017, the work was presented by BBC producer Verity Sharp on her radio programme Late Junction.
- Author contribution statement
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- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
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