The Belgrade Synthi 100 Talking to Its Past
Radio station: Radio Belgrade
Venue/s of the event: Studio 6, Radio Belgrade
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The Belgrade Synthi 100 Talking to Its Past
A contribution by Paul Pignon and the Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio to Art’s Birthday 2021
I will build one of my Zoetic Engines on the Synthi 100. A zoetic engine consists of a several entities which I refer to as “creatures” – their volatile and unstable nature makes them behaviour, as I experience it, resemble that of living organisms. They interact with one another and will make sounds autonomously. They can also receive sounds from the outside world, which stimulate them to respond.In this project the sounds they receive from outside will in fact be fragments of music composed on this Synthi 100 in the past. These fragments will be played from an external sampling synthesizer which I have constructed in pd-l2ork, which I control by playing on a Yamaha WX5 MIDI wind controller.Thus a “conversation”, which might turn into an argument, will ensue involving the creatures I have created, sounds created by other composers in the past, and the gestural element of my playing on the WX5.
Born and grew up in the UK. Began playing jazz at 15. Studied physics at Oxford. While there made first forays into non-idiomatic improvisation (1961). Abandoned Ph.D research at Oxford in favour of music. Moved to Yugoslavia. Cofounder of the Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio. 14 years working with the Synthi 100 there, originally custom built for the Studio. Active as composer of chamber, vocal electronic and improvised music, leading the group Interaction.
In 1986 moved to Sweden, composing and developing computer music software at EMS. Member of FST and Fylkingen. Producer at Fylkingen 1988-1992. Active as composer of electronic and instrumental works, and real-time composer on single reeds, didgeridoo, recorders, WX5, voice, laptop; currently with BOP, BONON, 2+ (with Liisa Pentti), Free Speech, The Great Learning Orchestra, and other ensembles in Sweden and abroad. Currently chairperson of SEAMS. Initiator of The Pignon Agenda.
Google with the search string
“Paul Pignon” AND (music OR musik OR muzika OR Музыка OR composition OR kompozicija OR komposition OR tonsättare)
for much more, ~3530 entries (or don’t :-P)
Has at different times earned a living as a translator and software engineer.
– ART'S BIRTHDAY – 
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