Portfolio of compositions: "an exploration of musical composition and sound production in the context of cross-disciplinary performance"

Abstract

Growing up in a non-musical family, the type of music I first encountered was popular music. My early interest in music therefore came from listening to recordings where the quality of the sound forms an essential part of the listening experience. I was also fascinated by the sounds and music I heard in the cinema.As my curiosity developed I gradually became more interested in many other areas of music making and musical styles, experimenting with sounds at any given opportunity.1 embarked on this PhD in October 2000 having just completed an Honours Degree in Music at Dartington College of Arts, Devon. During that period of study, I became acquainted with various studio techniques, using both analogue and digital equipment. I felt I had found an adequate territory in which to express my musical creativity. I was therefore very interested in continuing to explore the potential offered by musical technology and to broaden my skills as a music maker, recording artist and producer.My aim for this research was to develop my knowledge of technology, developing recording techniques in order to reproduce the sounds I had grown up with as well as discovering new sonic possibilities in the process.I also conceived this PhD as an opportunity to explore cross-disciplinary practices, with the idea of developing collaborations with artists working in other media.I hope to present, with the works included in this portfolio, a clear illustration of the path I have undertaken during the last five years.