Frank Millward

(UK)

From Anger To Sadness

An interactive multimedia performance for soprano and projected moving image. It explores the topic ‘Technologies as affective instigators of intimacy’. Pre-recorded processed emotive vocal utterances, represented as nasendoscopy and spectral analysis images are used to underscore as well as develop complementary images and sonic materials for framing the live performance. This piece is part of The Visual Voice – www.thevisualvoice.co.uk - an ongoing research project conducted by Dr Frank Millward and Dr John Rubin.

The images projected are the documentation of a series of nasendoscopy investigations - a small camera is inserted through the nose in order to film the vocal folds in motion while engaged in emotive vocal utterances. The sonic aspect of the performance is disseminated through a sound system enabling the real time digital manipulation of vocalisations mixed with pre-prepared materials. Spectrographic 3D projected images are created by Fleeta Siegel in response to the intimate emotive vocal utterances performed by a solo soprano voice (Heather Keens).

The journey from anger to sadness is transacted as a scored orchestration of wordless utterances, live and pre-prepared, in interactive process through an emotive landscape involving: Anger - Shock - Fear - Denial - Love - Hope - Sadness.

The piece explores how wordless emotive utterances, used as sonic textures associated with the intimate images of the vocal folds in motion, orchestrated as a performance experience, can inform the way we interpret nonverbal vocalisations.

John Rubin – Nasendoscopy Images
Fleeta Siegel – Technology Director - MAX/MSP
Heather Keens – Performer / Singer
Evan S Raskob – Max/MSP Jitter Patch Developer

Originally commissioned by NetVoTech
Electronics Department, University of York (Prof D. Howard). Supported by: The Royal National Throat, Nose, Ear Division, Royal Free NHS Trust and Kingston University.