SPARC Symposium 2024: [Im]probable Networks
21 - 26 May 2024
SPARC Lab Launch 21-23 May 2024
City, University of London
This year’s symposium focusses on the networks that underpin our world, from the natural networks that have been intrinsically woven through our human history and existence, via our collaborative/collective nature, to the digital networks that affect every aspect of contemporary life. How is music and sound art influenced by these networks and how do artists respond? Our 2024 symposium will explore these themes through talks, concerts, installation art and a soundwalk along the river Fleet. We will also launch SPARC Lab, our new facilities for practice-based research in immersive sound and movement. Including papers, concerts, discussion and workshop sessions.
Tuesday 21st May
19:00 - Performance Space
SPARCLab Launch: From the City Studios
A fresh mix of sounds from City's legendary Sound Studios including experimental electronic music, sound art, field recordings, and audio-visual work created over the past year by City students.
Wednesday 22nd May
19:00 - Performance Space
SPARCLab Launch: Sculpting Sound
Gerriet Sharma, world expert in sound sculpture, multichannel composition, and site-specific installation, guest-curates a concert around the IKO, a unique 20-sided loudspeaker array that he co-developed. The concert features music and sound art composed specifically for the IKO and Ambisonic dome by Sharma and other international artists.
Thursday 23rd May
19:00 - Performance Space
SPARCLab Launch: Speaking Spaces
World-leading composer Natasha Barrett, widely known for her work in electronic, acousmatic, and live electroacoustic music, also a City alumna, is offered carte blanche to introduce listeners into her 3D sound world with SPARC Lab’s Ambisonic dome, a 24.4-channel loudspeaker system surrounding the public.
Friday 24th May
11:00-12:30 – online
Mae Naam’ (แม่น้ำ): River Her Stories
SPARC is collaborating with the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music in Bangkok on a project around waterways in Bangkok and London respectively. We kick of our collaboration by inviting two artist and two water/river experts from each country to talk about their practice and research. You will be sent a zoom link after you sign up for this event.
Installations
From 17:00 – The Pool and music studio
Weaving Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir
Artists, composer and performer Lilja María Ásmundsdóttir’s living sound sculpture Core Being is inspired by subterranean textures and collaborative structures in nature.
A Walk with We in Front SPARC Collective
This audio work was a collaboration between We in Front walking group and City, University of London alumni goup SAPRC Collective.
Concert
18:00 – pre-concert panel discussion with Atau Tanaka and Eduard Solaz (IKLEKTIC)
19:00 – Performance Space
Four Symphonies Wadada Leo Smith
Trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, creative composer/performer and author Wadada Leo Smith’s Four Symphonies is part of his Ankhrasmation work. “Smith defines his music as “Creative Music,” and his diverse discography reveals a recorded history of music centered in the idea of spiritual harmony and the unification of social and cultural issues of his world. He has created Ankhrasmation, a symbolic image-based language for performers or musicians.” The work will be performed by Cath Roberts, Charlotte Keeffe, Tullis Rennie and Claudia Molitor.
Hybrid Venue: Goldsmiths x CCRMA
Live computer music composer and performer Atau Tanaka and composer, improviser and cellist Chris Chafe will perform a networked duo between London and California. Produced by IKLECTIK with technical assistance by Nathan Adams and Synthia Payne.
Saturday 25th May
Talks
AG09 – College Building & online
12:00-13:00
Kate Carr & Iain Chambers: Rubbish Music: the relational entanglements of instrumentalising waste
Lunch break
14:00-15:30
Atau Tanaka: The Possibility of a Distant Music
Rebekah Wilson: Designing music for uncertainty
George Speck: The Latency Factor: Exploring Musicians’ Strategies for Delay in Synchronous Networked Jazz Performances
Coffee
16:00-17:00
Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodriguez: Let's Become Fungal! Mycelium Teachings and the Arts
(key note)
17:15-18:45
Mary-Ann Kernan: Hope and learning: The arts in the teaching of creativity and sustainability
Joseph Kohlmaier: Course in Poetics, Second Lesson: On Networks
Laudan Nooshin & Milo Fox: Sound Museums: Designing for Inclusion, Wellbeing and Community
Reception
Concert
19:30 – Performance Space
Robert Mitchell & Shirley Smart
Pianist Robert Mitchell and cellist Shirley Smart will improvise in the second networked performance of the symposium.
Rubbish Music
Rubbish Music is Iain Chambers and Kate Carr. They use sound to investigate the journeys, transformations and impacts of our discarded objects. Using our worn out treasures, empty vessels and broken devices as an orchestra of vivid musique concrète materials we examine the worlds we make and destroy via our rubbish.
Sunday 26th May
Soundwalk
11:00 – meet at Hamstead Heath
Catherine Kontz: Fleet Footing
We will meet at Hamstead Heath and walk along the river Fleet to Blackfriars Bridge for this soundwalk by composer Catherine Kontz and co-created with multi-disciplinary artist and write S. L. Grange. The walk is about 10km long and details will be e-mailed once you have signed up. There is also the opportunity to join us for part of the walk.