Harvard Sound Lab presents: Transsonic

Transsonic is an experimental transmedia duo that creates immersive site-specific performances and installations bridging the vibrations of light and sound through technology. The duo investigates the ontology of music beyond sound and the possibilities of transmedial listening.

In "Fluid Ontologies", Transsonic continues to expand their intermedial artistic practice in performances. For this project, they develop their laser feedback instruments, using lasers as sound sources and solar panel microphones, as well as a musical agent system that uses machine learning for interaction and latent timbre spaces. With the incorporation of multichannel spatialization, Transsonic extends the spatial dimensions, sonically and visually, creating a unique audiovisual experience. The project explores and defines new concepts of the instrumentality of light in audio circuits, putting space, bodies and instruments into one dynamic feedback system.

Transsonic is a Berlin-based transmedia duo. Since 2018, they have developed new works at the intersection of instrument building, intermedia, new technologies and embodied performance with sound and light. They research and create performances, improvising between lights and sounds as equally important but dialectical musical materials.
They have been commissioned by Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, Seanaps Festival Leipzig and Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry at the University of Chicago. They have also presented at New York University, Experimental Intermedia (NYC), CCRMA at Stanford University, Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt, Sonic Lab in SARC at Queen's University Belfast, Huddersfield, Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Oxford University, New Interface and Musical Expression (NIME) conference, Klex Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong Arts Center, De Tanker in Amsterdam, Musikhochschule Lübeck, Blurred Edges Festival in Hamburg, Alte Feuerwache in Köln, Experimentik Berlin and Radialsystem Berlin.

Viola Yip is an experimental composer, performer, sound artist, and instrument builder. She has been interested in creating new self-built instruments and sound performances that explore the dynamic relationships between media, materiality, space, and musical bodies in experimental music.
Her recent appearance includes the Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT) at UC Berkeley, Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford, Issue Project Room (NYC), Look & Listen Festival NYC, Art Club of Chicago, Cycling ‘74 Expo, School of Creative Media at the City University of Hong Kong, University of Huddersfield, Sonic Arts Research Center at Queen's University Belfast, QO-2 Brussels, Flykingen Stockholm, Kunst Station Sankt Peter (Köln), In Front festival Aachen, Heroines of Sound Festival Berlin, Academy of the Arts Berlin, Museum Serralves Porto and Pinakothek der Moderne München. She received an Honorary Mention from Giga-Hertz-Preis 2021 at ZKM in Karlsruhe.

Nicola Hein is a sound artist, guitarist, composer, and researcher in the field of music aesthetics and cybernetics. He is a professor of sound arts and creative music technology, and artistic director of the studio for electronic music at the University of Music in Lübeck, Germany. His work is determined by the interaction of sound, space, light, movement, and the emergent dynamics of aesthetic systems. In his artistic work, he uses physical and electronic extensions of synthesizers and electric guitar, cybernetic human-machine interaction with machine learning and interactive music systems, sound installations with motors/video projections/light, augmented reality, telematic music, multichannel sound, and instrument building. Intermedia works with video art, dance, literature, and other art forms. His works have been realized in more than 30 countries in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. His artistic work is documented in over 30 releases. He has been awarded many different prizes and grants for his work. He has collaborated with Max Eastly, Evan Parker, Miya Masaoka, Axel Dörner, Ute Wassermann, and many more. Presentations of his work at MaerzMusik Festival (Berlin), Ars Electronica (Linz), Moers Festival, A L'ARME! FESTIVAL (Berlin), Super Deluxe (Tokyo), Sonica Festival (Glasgow), and many more.

With the support of the Reisekostenfonds from the Goethe Institut in Munich.