The Little Electric Musician at Müpa, Budapest
Quadraphonic concert series | 2023
Part 1: Electronic Sound
„In the beginning, there was acoustic sound. Since time immemorial, this is how every major and less notable piece in the history of music has begun. Technological progress, however, cannot be stopped. A few decades ago, people began asking a question: what happens if we use electronic tools to create well-known sounds? Müpa Budapest's newest series makes this distinction apparent on both a visual and audio level, while also showing you how the latest technology makes it possible for anyone to experiment with different sounds... We do not require a lengthy explanation to convey the crossover nature of electroacoustic music: it encompasses traditional classical music, yet also opens up direct paths towards modern pop music. The Little Electric Musician series gives children aged 8–14 the chance to enjoy an in-depth exploration of a genre that is today also important in university music education. In our opening edition, Electronic Sound, we will clarify the concepts. You typically require a computer or a synthesiser to create electroacoustic music, though there are also plenty of smartphone apps that can also help you construct unusual sounds. This one-hour interactive program takes place in a quadrophonic sound space, with the young audience receiving signals from four different sound channels that emerge from four different directions. In other words, they will be literally surrounded by sound. As we get to know the infinite world of sounds and tones, we will also encounter some electronic instruments. The synthesiser is just the start, while the computer will also become a kind of instrument in your hands. We will use electronic devices to produce new, unfamiliar or even never-heard-before sounds, while also learning the creative sound design secrets of pop and symphonic music production.” (Müpa)
Part 2: 'Hybrid' Sound
„Surprising as it may seem, music that has been modified/manipulated by electronic means is today considered an independent branch of classical music across the world. Though it initially began as a mere experiment, it now has a secure presence in the mainstream. But what actually happens to familiar acoustic sounds if we alter them through the use of electronics? Exciting variations and surprising combinations are created for our ears to savour, while we are also provided with the opportunity to marvel at the ‘new guise' of traditional music. The goal of the Little Electric Musician series is to introduce 8 to 14-year-olds to the history, most famous proponents and typical techniques of electroacoustic music, which emerged in the middle of the 20th century and quickly gained widespread popularity. The series is for young people who already hold in their hands a smartphone – a kind of intricate computer – that could also be turned into an electric instrument. ‘Hybrid' Sound, the second interactive activity session, will also take place in a quadrophonic sound space that will be music to your ears, and where the effect is akin to sitting in the very centre of a four-channel sound installation. We will also talk about how you can construct a complete musical work from a single instrument – from the sound of a flute or a special folk instrument, let's say – and familiarise ourselves with commonly applied techniques that will help you dress up acoustic music in new and ‘fashionable' garb! We will find out who wrote earlier electronic music and why, while our experts will also discuss percussive spectrums. Not to mention perhaps the most exciting question for those eager to learn more about electroacoustic music: how exactly can electronics modify the sound of acoustic instruments, and in what way?” (Müpa)
Part 3: Graphical Sound
„Look around and listen up! No, this is not an error: in the latest episode of The Little Electric Musician, the sounds that surround us really do provide infinitely varied opportunities for creating visual images. Have you ever had the urge to pick up a pen, pencil or brush while listening to certain influential musical pieces? Or felt like there are colours hidden in sounds, just waiting for you to draw them out? In this session, we will master the art of forming images from music, and music from images. The Graphical Sound event provides exactly what its name suggests: on this occasion, our expert musicians will focus on the relationship between music and graphical design and drawings. It is no secret that for centuries, music has provided inspiration to creators blessed with talent in the visual arts, which is why we will discuss both the ability of music to create visual images and the various ways in which music can inspire a wide array of visual displays. The creation of graphical sounds has its own story to tell, and we can look forward to an insight into its landmark moments. Graphic scores represent a special chapter in the history of music, one that takes us on a straight path from popular experimentations of genre to graphically produced music and media works, some of which you will encounter at this event. Sounds that can be described and drawn – theoretical knowledge is of course followed by practical testing in the interactive space that surrounds the audience with quadrophonic sound. We often say that if a picture could speak, what a story it could tell! But what about if a drawing really does produce sound? As part of a rich and varied programme, we will see how sounds can navigate spatial fields, not to mention some unique visual instruments!” (Müpa)
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