michael northam : owl songs : autumn 2011

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Since childhood, Michael been inspired by vast landscapes and dramatic weather, cultivating a life-long fascination with the personal experience of natural phenomena — the seed from which all his work grows. His artistic development has gradually evolved from early actionistic performance art and painting to an emphasis on sound through explorations of organic sound phenomena, acousmatic composition and live sound improvisation. He has collaborated with filmmakers and choreographers and his work has been published and presented internationally in venues such as: KHOJ (New Delhi), Whitebox (New York), and/OAR (Seattle), o-artoteca (Milan), ARTe SONoro (Madrid), ferns (Paris). Currently based in Berlin, Germany, working as a sound-designer, pursuing many new collaborations, self-publishing on his 'orogenetics' imprint and is currently working with the 'Chora(s)san Time-Court Mirage' ensemble (Hennix, Cuni, Jeffery, Hayward, Schwingenschlögl)

mn - website

DOWNLOAD SAMPLE (owl song fragment)

epiphysis overture by michael northam

For his autumn 2011 performances - Michael will be exploring a new/old series of 'spirit songs' that are momentary manifestations of uncharted motifs, inner visions, spontaneous textures and spooky tunes. This work is evocative of his early aktionistic work - as it borderlines on the awkward as it careens onward towards the sublime — unfolding sound as an intricate, woven fabric summoned spontaneously from motorized strings, broken toys, voice, clock chimes, minerals, wind instruments as well as chunks of nature recordings — all sculpted in real-time into an undulating tapestry of sound. Michael sees this current as a tip-of-the-hat and an attempt to appease the kinds of spirits who have lit the path of such sonic visionaries as: MacLise, Gysin, Tazartes, Kosugi, Palastine, as well as a salute to the infinite Buddha fields of endless light... One can also chart Northam's current emphasis as a solo manifestation of what begun several years ago with his collaboration project with Hitoshi Kojo aka KODAMA .

SCHEDULE (thus far):

MAASTRICHT - Landbouwbelang - (with Schnaak) - 14. October

HEERLEN - h(ear) - (with Jason Kahn) - 16. October

BARCELONA - Festival Disonancias (with Z'EV) - 20. October

23-27. October >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> looking around for performances around BENELUX

SETUP :

• standard PA
• stereo mixer and eq
• table about 60cm square about 70cm high
• setup time - minimally 3 hours day of show.

• ideal environment -
dark or low light - people laying on carpeted floor
cozy - no bar in operation during the performance

LOGISTICS :

• transportation (when applicable)
• accommodation
• food (day of show)
• artist fee (to be discussed)

CONTACT FOR BOOKING

complete CV (pdf download)