SUNLIGHT SYMPHONY

A 30 minute piece for a building played as a musical instrument by the rising sun, by Alexis Kirke and Technologist Tim Hodgson.

Premiere 7:00am 26th Feb 2010 (videos etc below).

Sunlight Symphony turned a 7-story building into a musical instrument, placing light sensors in windows. 8 pieces were composed, one for each sensor, such that when they played together they augmented and interfered with each other in mysterious or exciting ways. A piece started playing when light detected in its part of the building reached sufficient intensity; the volume increasing as light intensity increased. As the sun rose over Plymouth and struck the building, the symphony of sounds began, pieces interlacing into a symphony of sound which reached its peak when the whole of the building side was bathed in sunlight. 100 words – why this project OR person is innovative There were 8 sensors both physical and virtual arranged in a crucifix pattern across floors 1, 5 and 7 which communicated by a combination of radio and cable networks back to Alexis’ PC in the Smeaton Building. This processed the light-data and sent it by network to Alexis’ laptop in the Roland Levinsky Building’s foyer. PureData software translated the data into MIDI which allowed it to trigger and change the volumes of the composed ‘tape loops’ on his laptop which connects into the sound system around the foyer. There was also a live projection of the sunrise for the audience.

Program notes available here. Sunlight Symphony was commissioned and premiered by Peninsula Arts.

A short documentary video online (video is halfway down the article)

BBC article with Sound clips

BBC Picture Collection

BBC Music Slideshow

Articles in Wired and Independent on Sunday.