Gerriet K. Sharma and Franz Zotter

grrawe

"For a couple of years only one inhabitant resided there, and also he was only rarely at home"

Sound-composition for an icosahedral loudspeaker.
A collaboration between Franz Zotter and Gerriet K. Sharma 2009/2010

The IEM icosahedral loudspeaker radiates sounds into space in directions freely adjustable all around. Hereby, it simultaneously aims at improving the quality of technical realizations of both acoustic measurements and the holophonic reproduction of natural sound sources. Progress in the development of its high-fidelity required for the use of the icosahedral loudspeaker as a technical and musical instrument was initiated when Gerriet K. Sharma joined a collaboration on his piece “grrawe” with Franz Zotter.

During this collaboration, the development of the icosahedral loudspeaker was challenged by the requirements of the artistic work, which was also in progress, and could be tested accordingly. The results of these “inquiries”, in turn, could be considered in the development of the composition as well as the loudspeaker. On the one hand, the properties of the icosahedral loudspeaker were investigated aesthetically, considering spatialization, spatial organization, and directions of sounds and could be incorporated in the spatial sound-composition. On the other hand, the fidelity and the stability in operating this instrument evolved technically during the collaboration.

The composition raises the question of the self-localization of individuals in their (sonic) environment or world.

It is a continuous play with the perception of movement, distance and perspective.

Where is the composer, where is the listener?

Who is the composer and when does "world" come into being respectively when does it withdraw itself from the composer and or the listener?

Can we look forward to finding an answer?

Gerriet K. Sharma

soundartist, composer

Born on 5 March 1974 in Bonn. Lives in Cologne and Graz. Postgraduate Studies (MFA) in Media Art at the Academy of Media Arts (KHM) in Cologne. Currently Master Studies in Electroacoustic Composition/ Computermusic at the Institute of Electronic Music and Acoustics (IEM), University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. Since 1990 member of various ensembles for experimental music and sound art. Concerts, workshops, installations and performances at several festivals and exhibitions for electroacoustic music and sound art in Europe and abroad. Key aspects of activity are spatialization of electroacoustic compositions in Ambsonics and transformation into 3D-Soundsculptures. Site-specific sound installations in public places and buildings. Composition, production and performance of radiophonic ‘Hörstücke’ (ars acoustica) with focus on the equitable combination of speech, text and sound. Artistic research in the field of sound-picture relations in audio-visual installations film, tv and theatre.

Franz Zotter

researcher

Born 1980 in Güssing, recently received a doctoral degree with his thesis on “Analysis and Synthesis of Sound-Radiation with Spherical Arrays” at KUG/IEM, Graz 2009. For intensifying work on his thesis he was awarded a research scholarship in 2007 at CNMAT, UC Berkeley. His expertise lies in theory and experimental practice on holographic analysis and holophonic resynthesis of sound radiation. In the course of his graduate studies he received two excellence scholarships and a master degree in Electrical and Audio Engineering from TU-Graz in 2004, with a thesis focusing on signal processing for audible noise suppression. He also worked as scientific chair at the first Ambisonics Symposium 2009 and collected some experience as a technical planner in room- and electro-acoustics in the years between 2000 and 2007.