Music for Stairwell 2003

Curated by Sean Kerr

ARTSPACE Stairwell
A new audio work every month

2003 SCHEDULE  

Whitebass 'three platforms', April 2003

Mrs P. Westbourne 'foreign acoustics', May 2003
Dion Workman, June 2003
Toby Curnow 'Stare Well', July 2003
ESO STEEL 'Windtone/Stairwell K'rd', August 2003
Vicky Browne 'The Dormitory', September 2003
Billy Apple/Jonathan Besser 'STEPWISE: A work in 4 movements', October 2003
MUSIC FOR STAIRWELL PROJECT 'DORADO', November 2003

CD

Whitebass
three platforms

An adaptation of the stairwells architectural elements, keeping in
mind the rhythms of the two sets of eleven stairs and adjoining
three platforms formulating a composition template

PLATFORM-STAIRS-PLATFORM-STAIRS-PLATFORM

Rhythmical sections of the composition notion the repetition of
ascending and descending a staircase with connecting
monotone plateaus acting as the platforms.

Utilising sound sources such as:
- Feild recordings
- Turntable feedback
- Harmonics
- Tones
- Samples

Presented with the generous support of DENON


Mrs P. Westbourne
foreign acoustics

This is a recording I made during my first visit to Japan in 1974. I am honoured to have it included in this series as usually my field recordings are stuck between other faceless objects in libraries and archives. It is exciting to have it come alive again.

Presented with the generous support of DENON

Dion Workman

'DJ SET AT V.I.P AFTER PARTY FOR MEDESKI, MARTIN AND WOODS' or 'LIBERTIES ARE NOT GIVEN THEY ARE TAKEN - ALDOUS HUXLEY'

RECORDED BY KENARD MEYERS, NEW YORK
MARCH 5TH, 2003

Presented with the generous support of DENON

Toby Curnow
Stare Well

I've been making electronic music for years but I don't play it to anyone.
This is a mix made up of recent experiments and play.

Presented with the generous support of DENON

ESO STEEL
Windtone/Stairwell K'rd

Windtone/Stairwell K'rd was constructed using sound material recorded inside the ARTSPACE stairwell on stereo and contact microphones. Three audible elements were most compelling from these recordings which I used as main components for the composition: the reverberant tonal hum of cars and buses as they passed by outside, wind as it hit the structure, and small sound details from areas of the stairway handrail which sounded when struck. The low tones, that make up a large portion of Windtone, were extracted from the field recordings using a delay-feedback system. All sounds recorded and arranged by Richard Francis in June-July 2003.

Presented with the generous support of DENON

Vicky Browne
The Dormitory

Vicky Browne is a Sydney based Artist that has been involved in an
experimental sound collective called Alice Audio. She has performed in
galleries including ARTSPACE [Sydney]; Imperial Slacks and Gallery 19.
Alice Audio also produce a weekly sound art show on 2SER FM.

Presented with the generous support of DENON

Billy Apple/Jonathan Besser
STEPWISE: A work in 4 movements

The 12 note Chromatic Scale in 2 octaves is matched to the architectural given of 2 sets of 12 steps at the entrance/exit to the first floor of 300 Karangahape Road.

Presented with the generous support of DENON

MUSIC FOR STAIRWELL PROJECT
DORADO

The MUSIC FOR STAIRWELL PROJECT investigates how sound circulates throughout the stairwell space and how one can alter this with realtime audio processing. Using a computer, unique software and a random number generator Dorado alters the sonic space in realtime as the viewer / listener / passerby travels up and down the ARTSPACE stairwell.

note: Dorado is named after a CDR brand sold at a New Zealand low cost bargain house [ the warehouse].

Presented with the generous support of DENON