Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow

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Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow
Audio Control

Atlas of Performing Culture by Cristiano Leone’s book presentation
Performed by the dancers of La Scala Theatre Ballet Corps – Stefania Ballone, Gabriele Corrado, Letizia Masini and Benedetta Montefiore
Triennale, Milan, Italy – March 5, 2024

The term ‘foreign body’ is not a poetic one, but a medical term used in the case of an intrusion, a foreign body, into the human body. In this case, the artist uses it in a different equation, in which the foreign body is the human body detached from the large body of nature, understood as Gaia, as landscape, but also looking at ourselves as part of nature and, consequently, emphasising our extraneousness from it.

The opus is made up of three chapters realised in 2017, 2019 and 2022 in Switzerland, Germany and Italy respectively, involving 20 dancers of different nationalities and formations who, naked in front of a powerful nature, place themselves in front of it with an attitude of defence, feeling threatened by nature to which they try to resist and, at the same time, trying to emerge.
The restitution of the performative act takes place through photographs and iconographic works created by Avital.

Foreign Bodies Action is the live performance of Opus and is therefore closely connected to the corporeal vocabulary used in the performances realised in nature. A corporeal, vocal and emotional score that the performers learn and use freely in dialogue with the space that hosts them and the interactions that ensue. In addition to the iconographic sequences that are strictly part of the language of Foreign Bodies, the performers use what can be defined as psychological, bodily and vocal warm-up rituals common to all the artist’s performances.

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Massive Sonic Works:

/ˈmæsɪv ˈsɒnɪk wɜːrks/

Large-scale performances using collective participation to create powerful sound masses.

Yuval Avital’s “Massive Sonic Works” or “Opera di Massa Sonora” involves the creation of large-scale performances that utilize collective participation to craft a unique sound experience. These works focus on forming powerful sound masses through the collaboration of numerous performers, exploring new possibilities through sound rituals. The compositions often include graphic visual elements, written music, and easy-to-read instructions to allow interpretation by individuals without prior musical experience. This approach, sometimes involving hundreds of participants, aims to create what can be described as “crowd music.”

Some key works in Avital’s repertoire include:

– GARON (2012): An opera for 45 bass tubas do, percussions, and a crowd of performers.

– KARAGATAN (2013): A composition for 100 gongs and bamboo in the Philippines.

– REKA (2014): Commissioned by the Warsaw Autumn Festival and co-produced by the MiTo festival in Milan, involving traditional singers from unique cultures such as Tibetan, Zulu, Sardinian, Mongolian, and Samarkand traditions.

One of Avital’s significant compositions is MISE EN ABÎME, a milestone work that marks the beginning of his “Massive Sonic Works” series. Premiered in 2011, this composition involves a large ensemble of 100-200 non-musician vocalists, accordions, bass tubas, soprano, bass clarinet, percussions, didgeridoo, and conductors directing the performance in an immersive setup.

Another notable work is URLA, an immersive sonic experience with over 300 performers, showcasing diverse musical traditions in Matera, Italy. This piece combines traditional elements with modern instrumentation, theatrical actions, and innovative technological approaches, reflecting Yuval Avital’s interdisciplinary and transcultural artistic vision.

Yuval Avital’s creations blend complexity, cultural diversity, and technological innovation to create immersive and participatory sonic experiences that push the boundaries of traditional music composition and performance.