In Ephemeral Firmament, Gregory Lasserre & Anais met den Ancxt of Scenocosme play live with a specific interface for visual and sound: Aleas. The performance came about as a result of experimentation within the immersive installation SpherAleas. For approximately 30 minutes, the spectator is guided through a visual and sound micro-universe.

SpherAleas is made of a half-spherical structure and of an evolutionary device which makes man, image and sound interact thanks to digital tools. The machine becomes the creator’s ally to produce pictorial and sonorous shapes. This space is ideal for collective performances; it accommodates in its center a constellation of visible shapes, spinning sound loops and luminous vibratory elements. Each participant gives himself up to this sensitive complicity cradled by flows of random emotions, justifying its necessity by the sole intensity of the present meeting. The scenography is designed for complete immersion of the spectator thanks to interactive sensors, a multipoint sound diffusion, a video projection system (180°), within a half spherical membranous architecture. A specific scenography and device was created for Aleas: original virtual music software/instrument.

Aleas: original virtual music software/instrument- In French Aleas meaning hazards and risks. Aleas arose from a reflection about how to materialise / draw sound with 3D images. It is a synthesis software, treating sounds and abstract images, able to create a dialogue with reality by using tactile sensors. It thus creates an interactive, sensitive relationship with the audience. Aleas allows the performer to create, modify, observe and manipulate moving 3D shapes. By manipulating the sensors, the performer can continuously intervene on the whole structure by playing with the different variables: order, side-by-side positioning, overlapping, speed, rhythm, harmonic pitch… Thus, by positioning new materials, users create sustained tunes made of rhythmic relationships animated by subtle temporal intervals.

The performer appropriates the system as they create particular processes of repetitive polyphony where parts overlap then disappear into hypnotic swirls. They determines the future of the artwork by experimenting with infinite orchestrations. They easily control the tune thus generated: a direct relation between man, image and music. The Aleas interface reveals
visual and sound performances to spectators. They see and hear on live various handling of the duet. Indeed, during interventions, the sound takes shape in the circular space of projection. Here the musical intervention is also an invitation with contemplation.

Myriads of visual and sound shape are accumulating in hypnotic sound superpositions Each performance offers a new dialogue or visible duel. In the opposite of the standard vjaying and djaying performances, the spectator follows exactly the musical and visual evolution as well as the performers. Here, all is revealed and linked. The duel reveals moments in complicities, doubts, errors, chaos… but which constitute the source of creation of these micros-universe. The Random concept developed by John Cage is also has source of inspiration for their artwork. Each performance offers a multitude of possible made by minimalists elements. [via Network Research]