This week we welcome Bristol based artists Yas Clarke and Lorenzo Prati to talk about creating a generative musical system from data harvested at the Ridracoli dam in Emilia Romagna, Italy.

For the past year, Lorenzo and Yas have been working on a musical system that creates a soundscape based on the environmental and structural conditions at the Ridracoli dam. The system runs 24/7 creating a live composition that responds in real-time to the ever changing site. The work throws up questions about how we can represent environmental change and natural phases in an abstract, emotional way and how we relate to music that is shaped according to changes over a very stretched-out timescale.

Lorenzo and Yas will talk about their process of conceptualising and realising the idea using experimental compositional techniques and custom made software. They will also share examples of the music that is generated and demonstrate some of the unique algorithms and instruments that the system is built on.

This Lunchtime Talk is part of Open Studio Friday, which takes place at the Studio every week.

Do you want to find out what is going on at the Pervasive Media Studio? Are you interested in meeting our residents, talking about a specific project or curious about pervasive media? Why not pack a sandwich and join us for one of our Lunchtime Talks and Open Studio Friday.

Lunchtime Talks are informal presentations by Studio residents and associates. They normally take place at 1pm on Friday, are free and open to everybody who’s interested in what we do.

After the Talk, we also invite you to stay with us for the afternoon to continue the conversation or work on your own projects. We provide chairs, tables, wireless and a great space. You bring what you need to work with (laptop/mobile). Our open afternoons close at 5pm.

Let us know if you’d like a tour of the space and we'll be happy to show you around just before the talk. Send an email to studio@watershed.co.uk to book your place on a tour.

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