Electroacoustic Music Research Laboratory[ EPHMEE ]

CONCERT CORFU– 28/6/2013 – 19.30

 

  Theodoros Karkatselas, Sting

  Andreas Mniestris, Variations’ Variations

  Apostolos Loufopoulos, Bee

  Theodoros Lotis, Arioso Dolente / Beethoven Op. 110

  Orestis Karamanlis, Toys

 

 

 

Curated by Theodore Lotis

 

 

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PROGRAM NOTES

Sting - Theodoros Karkatselas
The project “Sting” was created as one of the 3 final thesis necessary for degree in Musical Composition, on the subject "Electroacoustic Music Composition" at the Ionian University. The inspiration for this piece came from the sounds of nature in combination with those of modern industrial society. Along with these, sounds of musical instruments were also used. Particularly, percussive sound-shapes are combined with buzz-like ones chosen from original sound material recorded near beehives. The form of the project evolved along with composing the piece and its development is based on the characteristic morphologies of these sounds. The piece is constructed as a multi-layered sound environment on which intense sonic gestures are developed. Sting is a prize winner at the Música Viva Electroacoustic Competition 2011.

Variations' Variations – Andreas Mniestris
This piece was composed specially for a concert dedicated to Brahms' work, after a commission by the Italian association “Amici della Musica” of Cagliari where the piece was premiered in June 2nd 2001. It is based on the idea of creating a variation form using as source material the sound of a recorded performance of a Brahms’ composition. I have decided to work on the orchestral version of Brahms’ Haydn Variations because this would be a direct reference to the practice of using original musical material and reorganizing it at will. In this case Brahms has used the material of Haydn who has used the material from a medieval pilgrims' chant. At the same time I have chosen to work on a variation form because I see it as a "neutral" form in the sense that it is more closely related to transformations -- quite abstract processes applicable to any material within various contexts.

Bee - Apostolos Loufopoulos

Bee is inspired by the microcosmos of insects, a world of intense/energetic flying behaviour, and could be described as a 'journey on the back of a bee', since metaphorically often places the listener in this imaginary position, as 'travelling' on the insect itself. The purpose of the piece is to evoke images or imaginary situations, and can be well described as a 'movie without the image', as the sound is strong enough to let us -the listeners- mould the visual aspect in our imagination... This work uses the language of electroacoustic music, and derived from digital processing of natural sounds (mostly sounds of insects) in combination with electronic/synthesised sound material. The piece was awarded the Award of Distinction at the ARS ELECTRONICA 2011 International Competition on new media, category: Digital Musics & Sound Art.


Arioso Dolente / Beethoven Op. 110 - Theodoros Lotis
Arioso Dolente / Beethoven Op. 110 is based on Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110, and more specifically on the third movement, which provided all the sonic material for the composition. Arioso Dolente / Beethoven Op. 110 was realized in 2002 at the studio of City University in London (England, UK) and the composer’s studio, and premiered on June 1, 2002, during the festival Intorno a Beethoven in Cagliari (Sardinia). The piece was commissioned by Amici della Musica di Cagliari (Sardinia). Thanks to Maria Metaxaki for the piano recordings, and to Lucio Garau for initiating the commission. Arioso Dolente / Beethoven Op. 110 was awarded the 1st Prize (UK Section) at the 2003 transatlantic competition Jeu de temps/Times Play and has been recorded on the compact disc “Epoque de l’Eau” by Empreintes Digitales.

Toys - Orestis Karamanlis
Toys was commission by ZKM Institute for Music & Acoustics.
"Prix du Public" at 2012 Metamorphoses Competition. "Medal of the Camera dei Deputati della Repubblica Italiana" at the IX International Composition Competition "Città di Udine". "First Prize" at 2012 Musica Nova international electroacoustic competition. To be released on CD by Musiques & Recherches.

Biographies

Theodoros Karkatselas
Theodoros Karkatselas has graduated in May 2013 from the Music Department, Ionian University, specialising in electroacoustic composition.

Andreas Mniestris
Born in Piraeus/Greece he studied Physics in the University of Thessaloniki and then he begun studying Music, soon to be attracted by Musique Concrète while, at the same time, he begun practicing the saxophone as a result of a constantly increasing interest in afroamerican music and free improvisation. He continued his studies in Electroacoustic Music in Paris at the Université Paris VIII and then in California at Mills College where he has studied among others with Robert Ashley, David Rosenboom, Anthony Braxton et al. He has returned to Greece in 1991 where he has worked as a saxophone player and sound engineer in Thessaloniki and Athens. Since 1995 he lives in Corfu where he teaches at the Music Department of Ionian University and is the director of the EPHMEE (Electroacoustic Music Research Lab).

Apostolos Loufopoulos
Apostolos Loufopoulos currently works as a freelance composer, music producer and teacher. He also teaches music technology and composition at the Technical Educational Institute of the Ionian Islands, Department of Sound Technology and Musical Instruments, Cephalonia-Greece. He is a founding member and currently on the board of HELMCA (Hellenic Electroacoustic Music Composer’s Association) and the Greek Society for Acoustic Ecology.

Theodoros Lotis
Theodoros Lotis studied the guitar, flute, music analysis and composition in Greece, Belgium and the UK. He composes music for theatre and dance, instruments and electronics. Theodoros is Assistant Professor at the Ionian University of Corfu, Greece. He is founding member of the Hellenic Electroacoustic Music Composers Association (HELMCA) and the Hellenic Society for Acoustic Ecology. His music has been released by Empreintes Digitales. www.electrocd.com / www.theodorelotis.com

Orestis Karamanlis
Born in Athens, Greece. Initially studied Economics (B.Sc, 1996-2000) and Statistics (M.Sc., 2000-2003) in Athens by accident, Music and Music Technology (B.Arts, 2003-2006) in Cambridge and completed a PhD in Electroacoustic Composition (2010) at the Sonic Arts Research Centre in Northern Ireland. Currently, Orestis is lecturing in Music & Audio Technology at Bournemouth University.