Artistic Research
BY PETER VAN BERGEN
The Interactive Interdisciplinary Improvisational Orchestral Machine (IOM) - Artificial Improvisation Machine (AIM) is an artistic research project by Peter van Bergen (PhD candidate at the Brussels Conservatory / Vrije Universiteit Brussel) being developed in collaboration with software programmer Johan van Kreij.
Research into and development of IOM have been made financially possible through a two-year research grant from NFPK +, a work grant from the FPK and the municipality of The Hague.
The pursuit of IOM-AIM is the design and realization of an interactive improvisation machine, an "orchestra" consisting of human improvisers in combination with computers, speakers, beamers, microphones, sensors and cameras. In IOM-AIM, people and computers improvise musically, interactively, and simultaneously in complex networks. Unstable aspects of improvisation concepts are being investigated for possibilities to transform them into interactive interdisciplinary set-ups. The human improvisers enter into a live dialogue with a multimedia autonomous improvisation machine consisting of computers, 4-18 speakers, cameras, sonar sensors, microphones and images and sounds that play a role in the performance live via the internet. In IOM, all parts of the ensemble communicate with each other on an independent basis. The audience is also involved as “data input” in this musical adventure.
Themes:
• granular synthesis
• generative algorithmic models
• hyperinstruments
• the art of memory
• exploring the space
• iCOT (interactive Cathedral of Thorns)
• transforming the space
Participating artists:
Peter van Bergen (concept, compositions, wind instruments), Johan van Kreij (software programming, sound engineering) Jan Trützschler von Falkenstein, Darien Brito, Nikolaj Kynde, Giuliano Anzani, Anna Chocholi (software programming), Gabriele Hultsch (design), Herman van Bergen (visual arts), Hans Vaders (poems), David Kweksilber Big Band (28 individual artists), Remake of the Scratch Orchestra (10 individual artists), 30 x various musicians, Evan Parker, Petra Dolleman, Wim T Schippers, Paul Koek.