Surrounding, for flute with sliding headjoint, bass flute and electronics. Written for Bill Dowdall.
Commissioned by Evlana and New Music Dublin with funds from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Premiered at New Music Dublin, Sat 22 April 2023, 3pm, The Studio, National Concert Hall of Ireland.
Surrounding is performed with a flute with sliding headjoint, a bass flute, a gametrak controller and live electronics.
The piece focuses on textural details from the flutes, exaggerating certain characteristics, attempting at times to turn the flute sound inside out to be surrounded by it. The performer shapes and informs the electronics through movement. The gametrak contoller tracks the position of the arms, for example in a section of the piece harmonies are produced by moving left and right. The electronics have their own agency. They pick up on certain textural details, responding differently every time. This in turn encourages the performer to respond differently every time.
