All day
Place: ICFO Auditorium
Rodney DuPlessis
Lecture-Concert: “Composing with classical and quantum harmonic oscillators”
Classical objects push and pull in tangible and deterministic gestures. A Newton’s cradle collides on one side, energy courses through the system, and it erupts on the other side. Quantum objects mystify the imagination with non-deterministic behavior and wave-particle duality. The dynamic nature of quantum physical models make them well-suited to creative sound design and musical purposes through sonification and metaphor. These systems outline a new class of time-varying stochastic musical models. Psi (2021) guides the listener from a classical mechanical sound world into a quantum soundscape populated by quantum harmonic oscillators. These quantum sounds were generated by QHOSYN, a new software that sonifies evolving wave functions using the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. In this presentation, I accompany a listening of Psi with a look into the process, tools, and ideas that went into its creation.
BIO:
Rodney DuPlessis is a Canadian composer and programmer exploring intersections of science, nature, technology, and music. In his work, he studies processes and patterns from natural and human-made systems to extract latent musicality and visceral sonic narratives. His process incorporates algorithmic and intuitive methods, field recording, software development, sonification, visualization, and microtonality. His creative output includes electroacoustic and chamber music, museum installations, live electronics performances, network music collaborations, and software for sound processing and synthesis.
His music has been performed internationally and recognized by prizes such as the Musica Nova International Competition (Finalist), Destellos International Competition 2020 (honorable mention), the Corwin Award for Excellence in Composition (1st prize - Percussion, 1st prize - Solo, 2nd prize - Electroacoustic), and the 2020 SEAMUS/ASCAP award (finalist). He has collaborated with new music luminaries such as Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, Formalist Quartet, Hocket, Henrique Portovedo, and Scott Worthington. DuPlessis is a member of SUDO ensemble and former lead vocalist of the progressive metal band Tactus.
As a programmer, DuPlessis creates innovative sound processing and synthesis software and works to preserve and reincarnate preexisting software. In 2020, he, along with Curtis Roads and Jack Kilgore released EmissionControl2, an interactive real-time application for granular synthesis. He has developed VST plugins for his novel spectral processing methods (PRISM) as well as a signal generator based on the linear dynamics of a coupled oscillator network (CHON). In 2021, he released QHOSYN, a synthesizer that sonifies a quantum wave function.
DuPlessis is dedicated to promoting the presentation of new music and art. In 2018 he directed the UCSB Summer Music Festival: a 2-day festival celebrating new music and diversity. As Technical Coordinator at the Center for Research in Electronic Art Technology (CREATE) from 2017-2020, he managed three electronic music studios and worked with Curtis Roads to present concerts and talks related to computer music. DuPlessis serves as Programs and Development director of the Nomadic Soundsters art collective.
DuPlessis' teachers have included Curtis Roads, Clarence Barlow, João Pedro Oliveira, and Martin Kutnowski, in addition to masterclasses and workshops with Alvise Vidolin, Nicola Bernardini, Annette Vande Gorne, Douglas Quin, Philip Samartzis, and others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology, Masters of Arts in Composition, Masters of Science in Media Arts & Technology, and PhD in Composition at UC Santa Barbara.
All day
Place: ICFO Auditorium
Rodney DuPlessis
Lecture-Concert: “Composing with classical and quantum harmonic oscillators”
Classical objects push and pull in tangible and deterministic gestures. A Newton’s cradle collides on one side, energy courses through the system, and it erupts on the other side. Quantum objects mystify the imagination with non-deterministic behavior and wave-particle duality. The dynamic nature of quantum physical models make them well-suited to creative sound design and musical purposes through sonification and metaphor. These systems outline a new class of time-varying stochastic musical models. Psi (2021) guides the listener from a classical mechanical sound world into a quantum soundscape populated by quantum harmonic oscillators. These quantum sounds were generated by QHOSYN, a new software that sonifies evolving wave functions using the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. In this presentation, I accompany a listening of Psi with a look into the process, tools, and ideas that went into its creation.
BIO:
Rodney DuPlessis is a Canadian composer and programmer exploring intersections of science, nature, technology, and music. In his work, he studies processes and patterns from natural and human-made systems to extract latent musicality and visceral sonic narratives. His process incorporates algorithmic and intuitive methods, field recording, software development, sonification, visualization, and microtonality. His creative output includes electroacoustic and chamber music, museum installations, live electronics performances, network music collaborations, and software for sound processing and synthesis.
His music has been performed internationally and recognized by prizes such as the Musica Nova International Competition (Finalist), Destellos International Competition 2020 (honorable mention), the Corwin Award for Excellence in Composition (1st prize - Percussion, 1st prize - Solo, 2nd prize - Electroacoustic), and the 2020 SEAMUS/ASCAP award (finalist). He has collaborated with new music luminaries such as Los Angeles Percussion Quartet, Formalist Quartet, Hocket, Henrique Portovedo, and Scott Worthington. DuPlessis is a member of SUDO ensemble and former lead vocalist of the progressive metal band Tactus.
As a programmer, DuPlessis creates innovative sound processing and synthesis software and works to preserve and reincarnate preexisting software. In 2020, he, along with Curtis Roads and Jack Kilgore released EmissionControl2, an interactive real-time application for granular synthesis. He has developed VST plugins for his novel spectral processing methods (PRISM) as well as a signal generator based on the linear dynamics of a coupled oscillator network (CHON). In 2021, he released QHOSYN, a synthesizer that sonifies a quantum wave function.
DuPlessis is dedicated to promoting the presentation of new music and art. In 2018 he directed the UCSB Summer Music Festival: a 2-day festival celebrating new music and diversity. As Technical Coordinator at the Center for Research in Electronic Art Technology (CREATE) from 2017-2020, he managed three electronic music studios and worked with Curtis Roads to present concerts and talks related to computer music. DuPlessis serves as Programs and Development director of the Nomadic Soundsters art collective.
DuPlessis' teachers have included Curtis Roads, Clarence Barlow, João Pedro Oliveira, and Martin Kutnowski, in addition to masterclasses and workshops with Alvise Vidolin, Nicola Bernardini, Annette Vande Gorne, Douglas Quin, Philip Samartzis, and others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Psychology, Masters of Arts in Composition, Masters of Science in Media Arts & Technology, and PhD in Composition at UC Santa Barbara.