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For the vast majority of studio or concert productions, the sheng (like most instruments) is usually presented as an external sound object to the listener, i.e. a sound source, typically positioned at the front, with a given width and distance, placed in a real or virtual space.
In order to explore and present the sheng in a new way, “A Bamboo Forest: The 37-pipe sheng presented from the inside”, born from empirical research between Wu Wei and Alexis Baskind, proposes a reversal of perspective. It places the listener metaphorically inside the sheng, surrounded by the pipes, in a way similar to the image of “forest of pipes” sometimes used for the church organ. This idea, which for the organ may be technically easier (though still complex) to implement, poses significant challenges for the sheng because of the size of the instrument and the radiation of the pipes (mostly directed outside of the instrument). It is therefore necessary to look for alternative methods of designing a microphone system to overcome these difficulties.
The multidisciplinary project “Forêt de Bambous” takes place in several steps between 2020 and 2024. This year in 2023, we will present the second step of research and creation of a new work by Julie Zhu commissioned by Radio France for “”Création Mondiale”” (production: Anne Montaron). The work will be supported particularly by GMEM-CNCM-Marseille for ten days of residency for the period of production in March 2023.
Julie Zhu is a composer, artist, and carillonneur. Her work is conceptual and polydisciplinary, operating on an expansive definition of algorithm and sound architecture. She entangles various media, from mural painting and sculpture to performance and video, and collaborates with artists from different fields to create experimental chamber experiences. She participated in the Cursus 2021-2022 at IRCAM. Her scores range from hair cast in clear resin to just intonation software to traditional orchestration, and have been performed by the Ensemble Linea, EXAUDI, JACK quartet, Quasar, Line Upon Line, Marco Fusi, TAK ensemble, among others. As a professional carillonneur, Zhu has presented concerts and lectures throughout Europe and North America. She was appointed carillonneur at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City in 2015. Zhu studied at Yale University (BA mathematics, BA art), the Royal Carillon School (Diploma carillon performance), Hunter College (MFA art), and at present, she is a doctoral candidate in music composition at Stanford University.
Alexis Baskind is a musician, sound engineer and computer music designer. He first learned sound recording with Benoit Fabre at the Aubervilliers/La-Courneuve School of Music, and followed at the same time scientific and technical studies. He joined Ircam in 1999, and there he pursued doctoral research on room acoustics. He has been working since then for music, theatre and dance projects melting live electronics and traditional instruments. Among others, he worked with composers Philippe Leroux, Beat Furrer, Hanspeter Kyburz, Philippe Hurel, Vladimir Tarnopolsky, Fabián Panisello, Turgut Erçetin, Rebecca Saunders. He works regularly on artistic and technical projects requiring the development of specific solutions for
sound engineering, sound design and interfaces. He is former professor in sound engineering in the hdpk Berlin and lecturer at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, and is been also regularly giving courses in sound engineering and computer music in music schools, and universities.
Sheng virtuoso, Wu Wei was Professor of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He has developed the ancient instrument into an innovative force in contemporary music. He has performed with leading orchestras and ensembles such as the Berlin, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Intercontemporain, with such conductors as Kent Nagano, Gustavo Dudamel, Myung-Whun Chung, Jaap van Zweden,Marin Alsop, Ilan Volkov, Susanna Malkki, Markus Stenz and Matthias Pintscher. He has given world premieres of more than 400 works, including 20 concertos for sheng and
orchestra, by composers such as Unsuk Chin, Bernd Richard Deutsch, Jukka Tiensuu, Ondrej Adamek. He is a winner of the music competitions Musica Vitale (Germany), Global Root prize (Germany), as well as the Edinburgh Herald Angels prize. He was named best soloist at the Chinese Music Awards 2017. His recording Unsuk Chin: 3 Concertos (Deutsche Grammophon) won the International Classical Music Award and BBC Music Magazine Award in 2015.
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