SOUNDWAVE

A 12 minute piece for large-scale wave tank, water drummers and electronics, by Alexis Kirke and Sam Freeman commissioned by the Plymouth Marine Institute for the opening of their new building at Plymouth University. The building’s large wave tank is the most advanced in the UK — as deep as a swimming pool and almost as large — yet precise enough to create big and small waves, chaotic or smooth. Standing on a gantry over the tank Alexis will “conduct” the waves using arm motions that send data controlling the big wave paddles in the tank. The resulting water waves will be detected by special gauges which feed into a musical synthesizer creating electronic sounds to accompany the water sounds. In a smaller coastal tank to the side, students will be “water drumming” in accompaniment, emulating the African Baaka-tribe water drummers.

Published on 27 Sep 2012