Music, but not as you know it
Octophonic compositions? They are eight-channel electronic music works that are best performed in 8.1 channel surround
sound for a truly immersive experience, explains University of Canterbury School of Music faculty member Reuben de
Lautour.
Electroacoustic music researcher de Lautour will present several landmark octophonic compositions on 6 May.
Electroacoustic music requires listeners to broaden their definition of how music is made and how it sounds. “Most of
the music in the concert is created by recording and processing “real world” sounds - that is sounds from daily (or not
so daily) life that are captured, manipulated, and montaged together. In the concert we will hear everything from the
sounds of the New Jersey Turnpike to environmental sounds from the island of Gotland in Sweden to sounds that are
completely abstract.”
Make no mistake, in the electroacoustic world, these compositions were ground-breaking and the programme offers an
excellent introduction to a range of styles.
“These are four composers who are acknowledged masters in the field of electroacoustic music. The compositions that will
be played cover a wide range of styles, and have been played extensively in international festivals. Many of them have
won awards in prestigious international competitions. All were composed this century, with the earliest work being Paul
Lansky’s from the year 2000. The most recent work on the program, Topophilia by Nikos Stavropoulos, won the inaugural
Iannis Xenakis International Electronic Music Competition in 2016. The composers are from the UK, Canada, Greece, and
the United States.”
UC’s School of Music offers an impressive range of concerts during the year – see the calendar here.
For a sneak peek of the programme, listen to some of the composer’s music:
New Music Central - Masterpieces of Multichannel Acousmatic Music
Details: Monday, 6 May 2019, 07:00pm to 08:30pm, Recital Room, UC Arts at the Arts Centre, 3 Hereford St, Central City,
Free. Register here.
ENDS