Kinesthetic Modes of Enunciation was realized as our center’s telemusical performance during the 2020 pandemic. A telemusical performance may occur in many different ways, but for us it meant that performers and audience did not inhabit the same physical space, and that rehearsals occurred in real time over the internet rather than in a shared physical space. Our performers, via a specially constructed remote system, accessed the studio software, hardware, and high-quality sound monitoring mechanism over the internet.
In Kinesthetic Modes of Enunciation, we explored vocal sounds. Instead of speaking or singing while performing, the musicians in the ensemble recorded themselves speaking different phrases and used the recordings as initial sound materials for the composition. We configured data-driven instruments with their own digital controllers that included the Nintendo Wii Remote, Wacom Tablet, Arturia BeatStep Pro, the Korg nanoKONTROL2, and the Nintendo GameCube. Using these controllers, we developed new performance techniques in addition to designing our sounds. Our performance harnessed the power of the Symbolic Sound Kyma sound design hardware and software environment, housed in the CECM studio, receiving performance data in real time from different places around the world. This allowed musicians to observe the interaction of data streams and to hear simultaneously the sound produced from the CECM studio. The ensemble was able to practice and rehearse the composition online, and the documented live interactive performance was a version with six performers in Auer Hall and one performer in Taipei. This arrangement of technology allowed us to stay connected and inspired by exchanging compositional ideas and performance activities, which has proved to be a unique experience during this pandemic.