Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow

Discover

Find an object that represents for you an important memory of a significant person in your life. Put yourself in front of the object, whispering in a (also in non-language) an important thing that you want to convey to this person, also something that you have never been able to tell before.
Loading please wait

Scroll

Audio Control Turn on Yuval's sonic flow
Audio Control

In collaboration with NASA & ESA scientists
BergamoScienza & Contaminazioni Contemporanee festivals,
Teatro Sociale, Bergamo, Italy – October 2012
concert for guitar, live electronics, visuals & sonic translations of the Cosmic Space
Yuval Avital – composition, visuals, guitar
Giovani Cospito – live electronics

In Unfolding Space Avital uses three basic shared components between cosmic space and music: TIME, ENERGY & STRUCTURE

T I M E is the strongest common denominator of all, it is the basic frame in which events take place, both in physics as in music. Time is also relative hence can also be re-proportioned in an external frame: a sonic event or a visual sequence from the Sun, that lasts for example 40 days, could be accelerated into a 2 minutes sequence.

E N E R G Y is everywhere in the cosmic space. From large systems such as star clusters and galaxies to planets’ electromagnetic fields and a human glimpse of an eye, the universe is in a continuous vibration. Similar to the principle of musical transposition, measured components of energy in space could be adjusted to our hearing range (20 Hz – 20.000 Hz), thanks to new technologies applied to physics.

S T R U C T U R E is the macro system that creates the principal rule in which components operate. This part was the most difficult challenge to reveal in this project. 

Scientific contributors:
Marcelo Coradini (NASA/ESA coordinator)  
scientific advisor
Philipe Zarka (observatorie de paris, CRNS)  
sonic translations of materials from jupiter, saturn & black holes
Alexander g. Kosovichev (stanford university)  
sonic translations of the sun & sunquakes

Close
Close

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.