Synchoros ou l’œuvre-instrument

Simon-Pierre Gourd © DOCAM 2010

Day 2, Session 8 Simon-Pierre Gourd (École des médias, Université du Québec à Montréal)   This presentation focuses on the work of Philippe Ménard, notably the development of Synchoros, a gestural electroacoustic musical instrument, which was the subject of a DOCAM case study. Deployed over some 20 years from 1981 forward and via a range of software and material technology, Synchoros represents a rich journey of collaborations and remarkably cohesive implementations that have had an impact here and abroad...   * Please note that this presentation was given in French but has been dubbed in English

An innovation of its time, its light-operated commands allowed for the creation of sound material and musical structures triggered by the movements of the body. Its unique characteristics make Synchoros a distinctive conservation and archiving case. More than a simple device, it is an instrument-artwork.

A professor of sound creation and new media at École des médias de l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM), Simon-Pierre Gourd has to his credit works in domains that range from acoustic music to sound creations for new media, film, radio, television, theatre, visual arts, and dance. His work has been presented in Europe, the U.S. and Canada. His research and interests include media creation and interactive media; experimental music; issues surrounding new technologies; sound applied to multimedia; musical aesthetics and the perception of sonic language; the conservation and preservation of the works produced by these art practices; and the methodology of research-creation.

Link:

• École des médias (UQAM) : https://edm.uqam.ca/