The Generator Series returns with Sound And: Spectra.

The Generator Series presents events that investigate music’s relationship to our physical world, seeking the connections between sound and architecture, sound and natural landscapes, sound and the human body, and more.

During the 1970s, with new technological tools for analysis, composers and musicians dove into the acoustic material of individual sounds to derive materials for their work, including the harmonic content of individual pitches, the ways in which individual sounds behaved in physical environments, and how those sounds evolved over time. Sometimes described as “Spectral Composers,” the creators of works using techniques of acoustic analysis have developed works which bridge the worlds of scientific research and subconscious human experience.

On August 31, the series kicked off its first full season by exploring the music of living spectral composers. Acoustician and engineer Lily Wang, Ph.D., collaborated with composer Dr. Stacey Barelos on a new work that was premiered on the Generator Series. Using their collective expertise, Wang and Barelos created a new musical piece for chamber ensemble that responded directly to the acoustic environment of KANEKO.

Also on the program were works by living composers responding to the invisible stuff of sound, including music by Eliza Brown and Kaija Saariaho. Featuring Hannah Mayer (cello).

Program
Kaija Saariaho: “Petals” for solo cello and electronics
Eliza Brown: “…cellopiece…” for amplified cellist
New Work by Dr. Stacey Barelos and Lily Wang, PhD

Upcoming Generator Series Performances:
Sound and Song: Roomful of Teeth – November 16, 2017
Sound and Memory: The Afield and Alejandro T. Acierto – March 8, 2018
Sound and Sensor: Obelus and tbd Dance Collective – June 21, 2018

About the Generator Series
Presented by KANEKO and Omaha Under the Radar, the Generator Series will present events that investigate music’s relationship to our physical world, seeking the connections between sound and architecture, sound and natural landscapes, sound and the human body, and more. Focusing on music by living composers, including sound improvisation and experimental composition, the Generator Series will be an outlet for non-commercial music that asks questions about how we listen, and how we interact with sound in the 21st century. Learn More ->

Listen to Stacey Barelos talk about the process of creating the Sound And: Spectra piece on KVNO News.

View photos from Sound & Spectra below.