Dröhna/Drönen is a site-reactive installation exploring large scale sounds, beat frequencies, architectural resonance, and durational performance. Sited and tuned to the specific resonant performance space, the installation includes several components:
A sounding sculpture incorporating a traditional pipe organ windchest and two ranks of organ pipes under electronic control. Custom software written by the artist in the PureData programming language is used to trigger the pipes via MIDI. The software is being altered in real time during performance while it is playing, a technique known as "live coding”. Additional sound interventions may be made by manipulating the wind sounding the pipes.
In the same space/time, an analog modular synthesizer (also built by the artist) is used to produce stereo electronic sounds which complement and/or interfere with the tones of the pipes. The synth is not under computer control, but is manipulated manually in real time.
During the course of the exhibit, the artist recursively improvises within a loose compositional structure consisting of gradually building and receding complex drones. Within each drone "movement", small pitch/timber changes produce a series of interacting beat frequencies and dissonances/consonances.
Dröhna/Drönen was first exhibited at Cleveland Museum of Art's Pivot Center, as part of Cleveland Uncommon Sound's Re:Sound festival, in June of 2023. It is tentatively scheduled for presentation at this year's Ingenuity Festival in September.
