Technosphärenklänge #3: Concert

cellF represents a radically new conception of what a musical instrument can be. With Guy Ben-Ary’s and collaborators (media artist Nathan Thompson, electric engineer Dr. Andrew Fitch, musician Darren Moore, stem-cell researcher Dr. Michael Edel, neuro-scientist Dr. Stuart Hodgetts, and neuro-engineer Dr. Douglas Bakkum) cellF human neurons form the living “control unit“ of an autonomous analog electronic synthesizer which, as a result, is capable of playing together with human musicians. Stine Janvin and Schneider TM will each play a concert with cellF. During the performances their sounds will be fed into cellF’s neural network in the form of electrical impulses. This then reacts to these impulses, giving expression to its response through the modular synthesizer. Thus an improvised, post-human piece of music emerges from the communication between human and non-human musicians.

cellF by Guy Ben-Ary, Nathan Thompson, Andrew Fitch, Darren Moore, Mike Edel, Stuart Hodgetts, Douglas Bakkum