Director of ECHOES
CITY OF FLOATING SOUNDS
Playing with the boundaries of classical music performance, in the City of Floating Sounds Huang Ruo invites us to become performers by taking out our mobile devices and playing his music on the streets. The music synchronises between us to create an impromptu ensemble performance, where the concert goer is given the opportunity to play their part in the performance, creating agency for the listener and breaking boundaries in classical music performance
The performance culminates in an innovatively-staged live performance with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra at Aviva Studios in Manchester.
The technology for City of Floating Sounds had two challenging aspects:
- A mass synchronisation of audio – a huge logistical challenge, with people bringing every manner of device. Any concert goer should be able to download the app and start playing the audio and it be perfectly synced to everyone else’s, without any tethering or pairing.
- A live heatmap of all concert-goers showing indeterminate location of other concert goers to create a more interactive and gamified performance.
We created and delivered a robust solution for this, available for download in the app stores.
Performances
April 2025 - Southbank Centre - book tickets
July 2024 – Lincoln Center in New York.
June 2024 + more info ℹ️ Factory International’s website
The BBC’s page
POINT.A
POINT.A’s ECLIPSING is a synchronised theatrical walking experience for multiple listeners. Andrew Schneider and Annie Saunders built on their extensive experience make site-specific artwork to develop this ground-breaking listening experience.
The technology allows multiple listeners to synchronise their listening experience together without any interaction, just start the performance and tune in.
It takes you on a journey where you’re never quite sure what is part of the performance, and what’s just in your headphones.
It is part of SXSW Film & TV Festival 2024, commissioned by the Long Center, Austin Texas, USA.
Read more on POINT.A’s website
LOVE IS THE HIGHEST ECONOMY
I created the technology in collaboration with Still Moving for an enormous light installation at the Civic Centre in Plymouth, commissioned by Plymouth Culture.
The commission features 17.5-metre-high scrolling text using ultra-high efficiency LED bulbs.
SYMPHONIC GARDEN
I designed and created the technology for an interactive garden in collaboration with the Symphonic Garden team: composer Emmanuel Witzthum, architect Lila Chitayat, and percussionist Itamar Doari.
It features an interactive trampoline, benches, and movement sensors, as well as the time of day and weather sensors.
It was commissioned by NEXT Mannheim and premiered at the BUGA (Bundesgartenschau) 2023.
