Sonic Circuits X Boston International Electronic Music Festival (review)

Musicians and audiophiles alike have been involved in lengthy and controversial discussions since the first attempts were made at using rudimentary tone generators as musical instruments. Some view sequencers, synthesizers, and computers as a curse, even taking it as far as accusing them of having contributed to "the day when music died." To others, they represent a new, exciting kind of instrument marking the beginning of a new era—the era of electronic composition. Perhaps understanding how synthesizers and computers function as musical instruments is crucial to being able to appreciate the creative potential they can unleash within a musician. "Education" is the word. The Boston edition of this year's Sonic Circuits X Festival was sponsored by the Berklee College of Music in Boston to promote extracurricular impact and cross-departmental work. Under the direction of Berklee Professor Neil Leonard and Dr. Beth Denisch, Director of the Boston Chapter of the American Composers Forum, students and alumni alike were involved in this project from organizing, producing, and promoting to composing and performing. Internationally acclaimed artists and Berklee faculty members were also invited to participate.

"The Sonic Circuits X International Electronic Music Festival," to quote the festival's Web site (www.soniccircuits.com/events/Berkleeevent.html), "is a festival that showcases the latest artistic uses of technology from commercial to classical, arcane to mundane, for gear-heads and neophytes, students and professionals." The Boston festival was subdivided into three events, each one focusing on a main theme.

12 March marked the opening concert, which was held at Berklee's David Friend Recital Hall and featured local and international talents. The room's oval shape and wooden acoustical treatment proved to be ideal for the various acoustic instruments being played. Berklee String Professor Mimi Rabson started the evening with an impressive performance showcasing the electric violin with electronic processing (see Figure 1). I had the pleasure of participating in a conversation with Ms. Rabson during which she expressed her fascination with percussion instruments. Her appreciation for rhythm clearly showed in her percussive and melodically impeccable performance of her composition Hard Wired (2003). Berklee World Scholar Ilona Kudina presented a dynamic interpretation of Mario Davidovsky's Synchronisms No. 1 (1962), playing the flute to a prerecorded tape. The electronic program material was contrasted and complemented by Argentinean acoustic guitar virtuoso Victor Pellegrini, who played Leo Brouwer's Canticum (1968), Tarantos (1974), and Elogio de la Danza (1964). Mr. Pellegrini has become one of the premiere interpreters of Mr. Brouwer's music, viewed by many as the most important composer of modern guitar music. Mr. Pellegrini also gave a tastefully sensitive and warm premiere of Neil Leonard's Vitrales (2003), a piece which extended many ideas that Mr. Leonard first developed in his algorithmic music. Experiencing a live appearance by Mr. Pellegrini was a unique treat.

Nan Zhand, a Berklee Music Synthesis student, impressed everyone with an energetic piano performance in Charles Dodge's pioneering remix of Enrico Caruso entitled Any Resemblance is Purely Coincidental (1980). The Swedish cyberjazz trio Natural Artefacts, featuring Susanna Lindeborg on piano, Ove Johansson on tenor saxophone, and Per-Anders Nilsson on computer, captured the audience with an exquisite improvisational act. Natural Artefacts aims to fully integrate computers with tools and musical instruments from the "real world." This trio created an intriguing blend of interactive improvisation between acoustic instruments and computer-generated sounds. It was remarkable how their very simple technical setup could provide such a wide platform for improvisational freedom. Ms. Lindeborg's piano as well as Mr. Johansson's saxophone were picked up by microphones and routed to a MOTU 828 Firewire audio interface. Mr. Nilsson used Max/MSP on his laptop to capture and analyze snapshots of the incoming audio. With the help of a small keyboard controller he would manipulate these audio snippets, allowing him to interact with the other two musicians. The result was a playful and at...