Michael J. Lyons
Michael J.Lyons, Thurso (Scotland), 1962
Winner of Befaco-La Orquestra del Caos 2016 residency grant.
During his residency he will be investigating alternative strategies for composition and live performance with analogue modular synthesizers using a self-built optical-sonic interface.
An array of light sensors generates control voltages for input to an analogue synthesizer patch. In dialogue with members of La Orquesta del Caos and Befaco teams, various synthesizer modules and patches will be tried with the light sensor array. Different compositional strategies will be considered and tried. The apparatus will be used to compose and record a multi-track piece as a soundtrack for an experimental short film (or short films). A portable version of the system will be designed for use in performance.
Professor of Image Arts and Sciences at Ritsumeikan University. He studied Physics at McGill University (B.Sc.) and the University of British Columbia (Ph.D) and have worked in computational neuroscience, pattern recognition, humancomputer interaction, and media arts, as a Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology, Assistant Professorat the University of Southern California, and Senior Research Scientist at the ATR Research Labs. He co-founded the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression and continue as a member of the advisory board for the NIME community. He has a long term interest in art and experimental music and have conducted research projects on the perception of art. More recently he’s been active in artistic filmmaking, live audio-visual performance, and event curation.
His artistic work consists of short experimental films, often with original experimental soundtracks created by him. These works have screened internationally at festivals, events, and exhibitions. He has curated and contributed to two series oflive audio-visual performance events in Kyoto: ‘NIME Night’ and ‘Experiments in Art and Technology.’ One edition of the E.A.T. series was organized at the NK Project in Berlin in 2014. He has also contributed to other live performance events, including an audio-visual performance inside the very memorable Convent dels Àngels, Barcelona, for the opening event of the ACM Multimedia Conference
