CFP: Alchemy in Sound and Nature

In a Strange Garden-Alchemy in Sound and Nature

National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth 15/16^th March 2019

Call for Papers, pieces and performers: Deadline 20^th December 2018

In a Strange Garden comprises a one-day symposium, exhibition of rare alchemical texts and an experimental electronic music concert (Friday March 15^th) and concert (Saturday March 16^th) for artists and researchers of any or no affiliation, early career and practice-based researchers, sound artists, musicians and composers.

This is the second symposium of alchemy in sound art organised by Listen to the Voice of Fire and is looking for alchemically infused sound art investigations of Nature. You may take a very wide latitude of how you interpret this.   Theoretical, practical, historical and exploratory approaches rooted in, inspired by textual specificity are welcome as are more general overall approaches inspired and motivated by alchemy (or more accurately, hermeticism).

In a Strange Garden seeks to generate approaches, musical ideas and discussion around these themes with view to developing an audio/text later in the year.

Themes of interest include and are not restricted to:

• Historic and contemporary approaches to Sonic Mysticism
• Sound, alchemy and psychogeography
• Sound art and compositional responses to The Emerald Tablet
• Alchemy and soundscape ecologies.
• Alchemy in text/emblem/nature, sonification, algorithm and interactivity

Talks should be up to 20 minutes duration

Performances or fixed media (presented in person) can be up to 20 minutes duration

Proposals for experimental electronic performance are sought for concert  held on the evening of Friday 15^th March at National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

Indicative approaches: Cybernetics, Sound art, noise, soundscape, field recordings, data bending, psyche/drone, electroacoustic, no input mixing board, electronics including novel/hybrid/hacked instruments and /or new musical interfaces

Technical Details

Laptop/usb PowerPoint is available should you need it, please ensure you have the right connectors, PowerPoint is not obligatory.

Performers will have access to a small mixer and 2 channel active speakers and should ensure they bring all leads and peripherals.

Submission Details

Proposals for papers and presentations should be made by emailing 1 pdf document of your proposal, name, email contact, affiliation if appropriate and ensure you include active links to your music pages, duration of your performance/piece. Please indicate if you wish to present during the day and or the concert on Friday 15^th March.

Concert performance pieces of 15-20 minutes duration are welcome (please specify).

Email submission to: dir [at] aber.ac.uk

Please use the email subject: SOUND

Deadline for submission is 20^th December 2018

NB

All confirmed performers/presentations must be made in person. This is a non-affiliated project, and not in receipt of any public funding.  LVOF is not in a position to pay artists’ fees or make contributions to travel expenses.