Universal Synchrony Music, Volume 2
By Sarah Weaver
Universal Synchrony Music (USM) is a cosmic multi-year telematic music project in collaboration with the NASA Kepler Mission and NASA ArtSpace exploring musical, technological, and metaphorical realizations of synchrony.
Sunday April 6, 2014
4:00pmPDT Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), Stanford University, California USA
Alex Chechile, computer and electronics, Cathleen Grado, computer, Shu Yu Lin, computer, Robert Dick, flutes.
Madeline Huberth, data analysis, Manaswi Mishra, data formatting.
Constantin Basica, audio technology, site coordinator. David Kerr, video technology.
7:00pmEDT Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, Stony Brook University, New York USA
Map: http://www.sarahweaver.org/files/Simons_Center_Directions.pdf
With support from the Simons Center Art Program, Consortium for Digital Arts, Culture, and Technology (cDACT), SBU Music Department, and Liminal Music Inc.
Ray Anderson, trombone, Miya Masaoka, koto, Min Xiao-Fen, pipa and voice, Doug Van Nort, computer and electronics, Sarah Weaver, conductor, project coordinator.
Alain Paradis and Stuart Jackson, audio technology. Michael Ricca and Matthew Blessing, video technology. Saman Samadi, technical assistance. Ross Karre and crew, video recording.
In collaboration with NASA Kepler Mission and NASA ArtSpace
Jon Jenkins, Kepler Mission Analysis Lead Co-I, TESS Mission Data Processing Lead Co-I, Computer Scientist AST Data Analysis
Yvonne Clearwater, New Media Innovation Leader, New Ventures and Communications, NASA Ames Research Center
Overview:
Universal Synchrony Music (USM) is a cosmic multi-year telematic music project in collaboration with the NASA Kepler Mission and NASA ArtSpace exploring musical, technological, and metaphorical realizations of synchrony. Sonification of data from the Kepler Mission on stars and planets 1000-3000 light years away is utilized for presence and interaction for synchrony. Synchrony is defined as perception of alignment of distributed time and space components. This electroacoustic telematic ensemble is comprised of renowned experimental musicians utilizing their individual innovative musical languages in manifestation of the piece. Telematic music is live performance via the internet by musicians in different geographic locations. The network technology involves JackTrip audio software, HD videoconferencing, and Internet2.
USM Volume 1:
USM Volume 1 premiered in April 2013 as part of the “Virtual Tour: A Reduced-Carbon Footprint Concert Series” coordinated by Mark Dresser and Michael Dessen, featuring a large professional ensemble of renowned experimental jazz and computer musicians performing together telematically in San Diego, California and Stony Brook, New York. Sonifications of data streams on variable stars from the NASA Kepler Mission were shaped as an ongoing “cosmic stream” component of the piece, together with musical concepts including interaction and harmonization with cosmic sounds, creating perception of synchrony across local and extreme distances, exploring the nature of closeness and distance beyond physical characteristics, the nature of sound in a vacuum, and cultural and human levels of synchrony. <http://virtualtour2013.com/> <http://www.nasa.gov/connect/artspace/creative_works/feature-sarah-weaver.html>
USM Volume 2:
USM Volume 2 in April 2014 continues this work and focuses on the metaphor of the NASA Kepler Mission’s search for habitable planets as a search for synchrony. Over 700 planets have been identified in the habitable zone so far through this mission. USM Volume 2 sonifies these habitable planets and the stars they orbit, utilizing data such as light curves, phase curves, surface gravity, magnitude, radius, temperature, celestial coordinates, period, transit depth, transit duration, solar planet ratio, distance from Earth, and orbital alignments with Earth. This sonification gives presence to these planets and stars as a “third location” in the telematic concert and explores their attributes for synchrony. USM Volume 2 has been developed over the past year in close consultation with the performers, data analysts, and technologists. The musical concepts include resonance, timbral synthesis, integration, nodal intersections, pulsation, contour, harmonics, inner universe and outer universe relations, and alignment as synchrony.
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/414245048719909/
Website: http://sarahweaver.org/4614_universal_synchrony_music_vol_2/