What does a sound look like?
How are its parameters perceived, conceptualized and visually represented?
Can a machine make graphic scores? What for? What are the implications?
How can you turn a graphic score into a sound instrument / an intermedia composition / an installation / a basis for communication / a way of re-thinking interdisciplinarity, innovation and collaboration?
In this living lab, hosted by the Soundsketcher project (HFRI/ Greece 2.0 – NextGenEU) you can experiment with different forms for ongoing and recently completed work inspired by the practices of graphic and open scoring and their potential applications in interdisciplinary collaboration contexts. A re-purposed phone booth that turns audio recordings into graphic score prints, a set of upcycled kitchen tools and everyday objects that turn into improvising sound instruments, a sketchbook proposing ways of co-listening while attending to the diversity, complexities and limitations of human and non-human ears.
Soundsketcher is a two-year project at the School of Music Studies AUTH. The project brings together computational, empirical, critical and art-based perspectives to investigate the relationship between sound and image/shape, through cross-disciplinary, hands-on study of graphic notation.
At the heart of the project is the development of a novel, in-progress prototype graphic notation application, that automatically converts an audio file to a visual representation of sound events. While developing the application, the Soundsketcher project team also explores different uses and implications of graphic scoring for educational, creative and communicative purposes, posing timely questions about how sound, listening and musical creativity are conceptualized across critical, computational, cognitive and artistic research contexts.
Soundsketcher workshop & participatory installation open 09:00-14:00
Recommended visiting time 30-40 mins (but you are welcome to stay for longer if you wish)
Due to the interactive character of the event, and to help us minimize waiting times during busier hours, please plan your visit and sign up for your preferred visiting time at the registration desk by the end of Wednesday 24 September. You can also just show up on the day.
The event is not catered, but coffee and small refreshments will be available on the premises. Participants also hoping to attend Living Lab sessions 2a+b are advised to plan for lunch between activities (see lunch recommendations on main conference page)
Soundsketcher is a two-year project funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (Greece 2.0 -NextGenerationEU) and hosted at the School of Music Studies AUTH.
The project brings together computational, empirical, critical and art-based perspectives to investigate the relationship between sound and image/shape, through cross-disciplinary, hands-on study of graphic notation.
At the heart of the project is the development of a novel, in-progress prototype graphic notation application, that automatically converts an audio file to a visual representation of sound events. While developing the application, the Soundsketcher project team also explores different uses and implications of graphic scoring for educational, creative and communicative purposes. The aim is to produce an online sound visualisation tool that will remain accessible to the general public, while also posing timely questions about how sound, listening and musical creativity are conceptualized across critical, computational, cognitive and artistic research contexts.
For more info: https://soundsketcher.web.auth.gr
Sample Soundsketcher score outputs during development 2024-25 (Photo credit: Soundsketcher / Konstantinos Velenis)
Listening / sketching micro-workshop excerpt. (Sketch / photo credit: Danae Stefanou)
Soundsketcher collective score-making workshop (Photo credit: Nikos Kostopoulos)
Dimitris Maronidis, Freefreeze. A graphic score generated-assisted by Soundsketcher and performed by LOrk•A (credit: Dimitris Maronidis)
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Sample Soundsketcher score output from an audio excerpt of Magda Lampropoulou’s sound sculptures during development
Magda Lampropoulou (b. 1977 Athens) is a sculptress and sound artist based in Athens, Greece. Her artwork engages with diverse, expressive media including audio, performance, sculpture, installations, and video. With emphasis on issues such as discrimination, prejudice, and moral values imposed by a given society, she assumes a humanitarian approach to her work. She holds a degree in Sculpture from the Athens School of Fine Arts. Her participation in exhibitions, festivals, artistic radio podcasts have contributed to an expanded approach to her working methods. Her composition “When in kitchen” was included in The Wire magazine’s charts page (issue 493 -March 2025).
website: https://magdoulas6.wixsite.com/magda-lampropoulou
SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-679960107
instagram: lampropoulou_magda https://www.instagram.com/lampropoulou_magda?igsh=MTRzbWZia29heXFrMg==
facebook: Magda Lampropoulou
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009992858432
facebook:
Photo credits: Maria Toultsa
Dimitris Maronidis is a Greek composer of acoustic, electroacoustic, mixed media, and interactive music. In his works, he aims to synthesize these fields, and extensively explores algorithmic processes for organizing his musical material. Dimitris is the founder and director of Iannis Xenakis International Electronic Music Competition and smART and also a leading member of Contemporary Music Lab AUTH. He is a tenured teaching fellow at the AUTH Music Department where he teaches the courses of Music Theory and Computer Music. His works are published by Edition Gravis Verlag Dimitris has completed studies in composition and musicology at the State Conservatoire of Thessaloniki and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki respectively, He has studied Computer Music at the Institute of Psychoacoustics (IPSA) and completed his Ph.D. in composition at the University of York with Thomas Simaku. Dimitris was a Fulbright scholar at Harvard University and has been a visiting artist at the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) at the University of Zurich (ZHdK). His works, installations, and performances have been presented around the world by many ensembles and orchestras (Basel Symphony Orchestra (CH), Lorraine Symphony Orchestra (FR), State Orchestra of Thessaloniki (GR), State Orchestra of Athens (GR), Nieuw Ensemble (NL), dissonArt ensemble (GR), Piandemonium (Gr), ContraTempo Chamber Orchestra (GR), Diotima String Quartet (FR), Sinfonia Concertante (LV), Chimera Ensemble (UK), devotioModerna (RO), Construction Ensemble (SRB), Trio Orbit (GR), Ums ’n Jip (CH), ART-i-Shock (LV), Altera Veritas (LV), Kompass Ensemble (DE), Arena Festival (LV), deciBels Festival (LV) etc.). His electronic works are also regularly performed in many venues across the world (MusLab (Mex), MusicaViva SoundWalk (POR), Open Festival Venice Biennale (IT), Ars Electronica Forum Wallis (CH), Monaco Electroacoustic Days (MON), Espacio Sonoro (MEX), Forum Neue Musik (DE), MOMus (GR). digitIZMir (TK) e.t.c.
