Phase I
Phase I of the project looked at how the technology of perceptual sound field recording, reconstruction and synthesis, created by the Centre for Telecommunications Research (CTR) at King's,could potentially change the soundscape contours of physical environment. It explored how this technology enables artists to control the soundscape in a way that fundamentally changes not only the nature of artistic performance, but also how performance is experienced.
In collaboration with industry leaders 59 Productions, Fidelio Arts and artist Dr Ali Hossaini, King's Department of Informatics sought to create a groundbreaking 'experience' that puts the audience at the heart of a performance while also showcasing cutting edge recording, broadcasting and signal processing technologies.
The first phase of the project used new technology to reproduce a concert performance by pianist Yuja Wang as a 3D digital art installation, it featured bespoke filmed and animated elements that ‘came to life’ and offered audiences a visual perspective on the music. By using 360 degree sound, the piece felt truly immersive, enhancing the performance and drawing a new audience into this type of music.
Phase II
The second phase of the project will develop a VST (virtual sound technology) plug-in to support performances and installations of beat-boxer Reeps One, Patrick Morgan, Ali Hossaini, and be permanently installed at RADA, thus facilitating long-term collaboration between the Department of Informatics King’s and the performing arts.
Junkerry
Junkerry had previously used the VST plugin for the Pigment Channel installation at the V&A in December 2018. She is composing another piece of music that uses the Soundscapes technology and has applied for an AHRC grant to support this further collaboration. Junkerry will be working with the team in their lab in July 2019.
Catherine Kontz
Catherine is a composer who directed and wrote the music for The Philosophy Shop and is now working on a new composition that uses the VST plugin software.
New Public - Transformations
New Public presents three exciting and boundary-pushing works which use the Soundscapes technology and are currently in development, all based on the theme of transformations. Transformations will be shown as part of the RADA festival in July 2019.
12 June 2019: Music Hackspace: Spatial Sound Meetup series with BBC R&D
A series of monthly meetups at Somerset House Studios that focus on new spatial sound technologies, with talks and discussions around creative uses of spatial and AR audio.
Gestalt
Abi Wade and Joel Wells, operating jointly as Gestalt, have used the VST plugin for two installations/compositions:
17 May 2019: Cause & Effect an interactive installation piece presented at the PRS stage for Your Stratford Stage at Endevour Square, Straford
5 May 2019: Ghost in the Machine a performance at Underdog Gallery for London Architecture Festival in partnership with Musicity Global
May 2019: Ouroboros at Nokia Bell Labs, part of Christie’s NYC Master Class on Digital Art
13 - 23 March 2019: The Philosophy Shop - RADA
A performance installation inspired by a set of miniature plays written by artist and philosopher Dr Ali Hossaini, and directed by artist and composer Catherine Kontz.
December 2018: Pigment Channel/VR Experience - collaboration with Patrick Morgan, Junkerry and Escape Studios - V&A
A Virtual Reality experience that transported participants to Rodin’s studio from the past surrounded by sculptures, tools and artworks created by an artist within a space open to witness a future collaboration between man and machine.
27 September 2018: Circular Breathing - collaboration with Reeps One, Get Involved, Ninja Tune - Somerset House
A special performance of Circular Breathing, a spatial audio experience created by award-winning composer, artist and beatboxer Reeps One in assocation with King's College London. Get a flavour of the performance here
22 June 2018: Guildhall London performance of Ali Hossaini’s Epiphany
The City of London in partnership with King's College London hosted an international collaboration between Berlin and the City of London of Dr Ali Hossaini’s Epiphany, testing the capabilities of the next generation of mobile technology; 5G.
20 - 21 May 2017: Ouroboros - CLICK Festival 2017
For CLICK Festival 2017, Dr Ali Hossaini created a special edition of his installation Ouroboros featuring a 3D soundscape with sound artist Keir Vine.
26 January 2017: Networked performance - partnership with RADA, Mischa Dohler and Ali Hossaini
The team provided the soundscapes for a second Connected Culture workshop which used an array of cameras, monitors and projectors to experiment with ways of creating a live and visually dynamic stage that crossed several spaces.
29 - 30 October 2016: 1st Connected Culture workshop - partnership with Mischa Dohler, Ali Hossaini, Battersea Arts Centre, Young Vic, RoomOne, Vodafone and Ericsson
The team provided the soundscapes for the first Connected Culture workshop
24 August 2016: Yuja Wang performance - partnership with 59 Productions and Fidelio Arts
A workshop sharing performance by Yuja Wang was held at King's College London and recorded using Soundscapes technology in a custom-built ‘black box’ space that was projected into an adjoining space.
Reeps One performance at Somerset House
1st Connected Culture workshop - partnership with Mischa Dohler, Ali Hossaini, Battersea Arts Centre, Young Vic, RoomOne, Vodafone and Ericsson
Networked performance - partnership with RADA, Mischa Dohler and Ali Hossaini
Pigment Channel/VR Experience - collaboration with Patrick Morgan, Junkerry and Escape Studios - V&A
Braud.io promotional video
Braud.io VST plugin demo video
24 August 2016: Yuja Wang performance 1 - partnership with 59 Productions and Fidelio Arts
24 August 2016: Yuja Wang performance 2 - partnership with 59 Productions and Fidelio Arts
Professor Zoran Cvetkovic
Zoran Cvetkovic is Professor of Digital Signal Processing in the Centre for Telecommunications Research, Department of Informatics, King's College London. His research focuses on with an emphasis on time-frequency analysis, wavelets, filter banks, A/D conversion, quantization, source coding, compressed sensing, and applications in audio and speech technologies, telecommunications and biomedical engineering.
Richard Slaney
Richard Slaney is Creative Director at 59 Productions Ltd. He specialises in interaction and digital design, as well as consultancy on digital strategy for arts organisations. Recent projects include Digital Revolution, a new exhibition of digital creativity opening at the Barbican Centre and 'Lighting the Sails' of Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid Live 2014. Before joining 59 Productions, Richard was the Head of Digital for the Philharmonia Orchestra (London) and Managing and Creative Director of Rite Digital, a digital production company owned by the Philharmonia.
Fidelo Arts
Fidelio Arts is a boutique artist management company built around the premise of developing projects and artist careers beyond the standard concert performance business. From digital initiatives, to residencies, educational initiatives and tours, they work to create broader acceptance of classical music at all levels in society.
Dr Ali Hossaini
Ali Hossaini is an artist, philosopher and writer. He is CEO of Cinema Arts Network, an Associate of Lord Cultural Resources and Research Fellow in Department of Informatics, King’s College London. In 2013 he completed construction of Britain’s Network for the Arts, a national broadband project that supports culture and creative enterprise in cities across the United Kingdom. He is widely sought as a speaker on culture tech – the intersection of creativity and technology – and he is completing a volume on digital museum planning for Rowman & Littlefield in 2016.
Dr Enzo De Sena
Enzo de Sena is Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Audio at the Institute of Sound Recording, University of Surrey. A former Marie Curie Fellow, his current research interests include room acoustics modelling, surround sound, microphone beam forming and binaural modelling. His focuses on perceptually-motivated methods, and aims at bridging the gap with physically-motivated ones.
Dr Huseyin Hacihabiboglu
Huseyin Hacihabiboglu is Associate Professor at the Midde East Techincal University (METU), Graduate School of Informatics, Ankara, Turkey. His research interests include 3D and spatial audio systems, room acoustics, audio and acoustical signal processing, game technologies, virtual environments, acoustical measurements, microphone arrays, procedural sound, theory of signal processing, UX in games.